The petition of residents of Harborough, Oadby and Wigston,
Declares that the petitioners want Glenfield Children's Heart Unit to be retained; further that this is a high performing unit and it is vital to retain such a service in the East Midlands.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges NHS England to keep Glenfield Children's Heart Unit open.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Neil O'Brien, Official Report, 12 September 2017; Vol. 628, c. 811.]
[P002055]
Observations from the Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Philip Dunne):
The observations are as follows:
Specialised services, such as those for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), need to be planned on a regional and national basis.
NHS England has run a national consultation on its proposals for CHD service change and expects to make a decision at its board meeting in November 2017. This follows NHS England’s assessment of all CHD providers, including those in the East Midlands, in July 2016.
NHS England is planning for the future to ensure our CHD services are the best in the world.
NHS England’s proposals do not involve the closure of the CHD service at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. Rather its proposals for the Trust are focused on the moving of surgery and interventional cardiology only, with the Trust continuing to provide Level 2 specialist medical care for CHD patients. If implemented, these proposals would still provide local access for the vast majority of patients with CHD, who do not require any surgical or interventional procedures.
If it is decided that changes need to be made, these will be managed carefully and carried out in partnership with current service providers, and with patient groups and advocates. NHS England will keep patients and their families informed every step of the way.
It is important that all parts of the NHS work together to ensure best outcomes for adults and children with CHD.