42 Local Matters
Greg Mulholland At the time of writing this, the announcement has just been made that children's heart surgery 'should recommence' in Leeds but now, the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, has to launch a thorough investigation into the handling of the whole affair. On Thursday, just before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, the day after the High Court ruled that the safe and sustainable review, which initially marked the Leeds unit for closure, was unlawful, NHS Medical Director Sir Bruce Keogh along with senior NHS staff arrived at Leeds General Infirmary and insisted that the unit close with immediate effect. Sir Bruce stated that the basis for his decision was figures on mortality rates that he had received from the Central Cardiac Audit Database (CCAD). However, the data had not been analysed and was not ready to be used to form the basis of any decisions. This whole affair has been an utter shambles and heart surgery in Leeds should never have been suspended in the first instance and the manner in which it was done is a disgrace.
I am pleased that the hard-working professionals at the heart unit are able to get back to work next week and that the families and children, who have been put through an extraordinary amount of additional stress, can now establish some certainty as to how and where treatment will be given. I think that a full investigation by the Secretary of State now has to take place and assurances have to be given that the continuing review will be undertaken in a fair and impartial way and serious questions over the conduct and judgment of Sir Bruce Keogh and Sir Roger Boyle need to be addressed.' Greg Mulholland 12 Holt Park Centre, Holt Road, Leeds LS16 7SR info@gregmulholland.org T: 0113 226 6519