With just one month to go until the consultation on the future of children’s congenital heart services closes the NHS is calling for more people to have their say. 17,661 people including parents, young people and clinicians have responded in the first three months of the consultation.
Young people’s focus groups, parent workshops, consultation events and interviews with families are just some of the ways Safe and Sustainable is listening to people’s views during June. Independent experts will test families’ travel patterns to establish the most accurate information and the impact of the consultation proposals on vulnerable groups, including people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups will continue to be assessed. Following hospitals’ data submissions in May, the process begins to verify the latest information concerning children’s congenital heart procedures carried out during 2010/2011.
Dr Sue Hobbins, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a member of the Safe and Sustainable Steering Group, said: “The NHS is continuing to gather views and data to ensure decision makers have all the information available before decisions are made in the autumn. The goal is excellence: excellent care for all children with congenital heart disease right across the country. I encourage people to have their say before 1 July. The NHS would like to hear people’s views about the options that have been recommended or any alternative suggestions that people may have. No decisions have been made and every response will be considered.”
There are a number of ways people can respond to the consultation:
– Complete a response form online www.ipsos-mori.com/safeandsustainable or request a hard copy
– Post a letter with your comments using the freepost address
– Text ‘HEART’ to 85001 free of charge (you will be sent a question asking for your views on the proposals for change)
The options for reconfiguring the service are:
Option A
Seven surgical centres at:
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Glenfield Hospital, Leicester
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
2 centres in London
Option B
Seven surgical centres at:
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Southampton General Hospital
2 centres in London
Option C
Six surgical centres at:
Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
2 centres in London
Option D
Six surgical centres at:
Leeds General Infirmary
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool
Birmingham Children’s Hospital
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
2 centres in London
London
The preferred two London centres in the four options are:
Evelina Children’s Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
