Health: Children's Heart Services

Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds Excerpts

Wednesday 12th June 2013 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Northover]

My Lords, I remind noble Lords that these should be brief interventions. We have only had two thus far and we are seven minutes in. I suggest we hear the Bishop, then from these Benches and we try to get around.

[The Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds]

My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister and I am also grateful to the Leeds group Save our Surgery for persisting with criticisms, at least some of which seem to have been justified, as they pursued this. I am particularly grateful for the affirmation that children and their families must always come first. Will the Minister also accept that nothing about us should be done without us? Therefore, will he ensure that families, local communities and, indeed, the case for keeping cardiac and other children’s services in our hospitals are heard, in addition to the clinical professionals?

[Earl Howe]

I can readily agree with the right reverend Prelate. I think it is illustrative of the IRP’s approach that in its press release it states:

“The critical factor to consider, in the Panel’s view, is that engagement of all interested parties is the key to achieving improvements for patients and families without unnecessary delay. There is now a real opportunity to involve patients, the public and other stakeholders in taking work forward as set out in the Panel’s recommendations”.

I endorse that view wholeheartedly, and it is a point that has been directly picked up by NHS England in its press release today.