THE mother of a young Hull girl in need of lifesaving heart surgery has welcomed a decision that could save the unit treating her.
Mel Richardson said she was "extremely happy" after independent health experts claimed a report used to consider closing Leeds General Infirmary's children's congenital heart surgery was "flawed".
Under the plans, services were going to be concentrated at fewer, larger sites, with services ending at the hospital in Leeds which treats children from East Yorkshire. Services at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and Royal Brompton in London were also to be lost.
Now, NHS England has promised a rethink of the plans, after the independent report on the Safe and Sustainable Review.
Mel Richardson's daughter Ellie, seven, has a list of complicated heart problems and has been receiving treatment at Leeds.
Mel was in hospital when the Mail contacted her about the news, but she spoke briefly to say she was "very happy".
The Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) found the proposals in the original review "fell short" of providing safe, sustainable and accessible services and that the decision to implement the plans was based on "flawed analysis of incomplete proposals" leaving "too many questions about sustainability unanswered".
Campaigners from Save Our Surgery (SOS) say they are pleased Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has decided a new review is needed. The group felt strongly that services should remain in Leeds and even took the matter to the High Court.
Sharon Cheng, of SOS, said: "The comments about the Safe and Sustainable Review process and outcome completely vindicate the action we took to challenge this and demonstrate that exposing the flaws in the review was the right and necessary thing to do.
"If we had not taken this action, implementation would have gone ahead, and patients and families in our region would have been left with a far worse service than they currently receive."
Professor Bruce Keogh, medical director for NHS England, has now promised a rethink of the plans to change children's heart surgery in the country.
He said: "We will institute a new process that recognises the very strong case for redesigning services to meet the demands of the future while addressing the legitimate concerns in our local communities."
Although this doesn't mean Leeds is saved indefinitely, it has come as a relief, as it will not be closed in the foreseeable future.
Ms Cheng said: "The new review process must be fully open and accountable and ensure there is a level playing field, with all units treated equally and standards of care for children the only consideration.
"The trauma experienced by patients and families across our region throughout the Safe and Sustainable Review process must never be repeated."
