By Emily Parsons

Published at 11:34, Friday, 08 March 2013

The future of a specialist heart unit which treats children from Cumbria is once again under threat.

Katelyn McAleavy and mum Amy Lamb

Campaigners have won a High Court appeal arguing a review into heart units was “unfair and procedurally flawed” – leaving patients and their families fearing the Newcastle-based unit could face closure.

Parents in Cumbria breathed a sigh of relief last year when it was announced that the unit at the Freeman Hospital would remain open.

An NHS review had said there were too many hospitals carrying out children’s heart operations and that expertise was spread too thinly.

It therefore proposed to cut the total number, with Newcastle among those on the shortlist for closure.

After a detailed review the Northumbrian unit was saved though – and it was instead ruled that Leeds, Leicester and the Royal Brompton in London would all stop performing children’s heart surgery.

Campaign group Save Our Surgery (SOS) was set up to fight the closure of the Leeds General Infirmary unit.

The group took its fight to the High Court, challenging the review process and claiming the hospital should have been told about “sub scores” they were being assessed on.

Philip Havers QC, appearing for SOS, argued that the information could have helped the Leeds General Infirmary better make its case for survival.

Yesterday Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, sitting at London’s High Court, ruled that the challenge must succeed – but what the victory means for the future will be decided at a later date.

The uncertainty is already worrying parents in Cumbria.

Katelyn McAleavy, eight, of Whitehaven, has a serious heart defect and has already undergone four operations.

She has been treated at the Freeman since birth, and is still under their care as she awaits an urgent heart transplant.

Her grandmother Joy Lamb, of Mirehouse, explained: “It is already a fair trek to the Freeman as it is, so if they move it somewhere else and we have to travel to Leeds or Liverpool, then that is worrying.

“If it is an emergency for Katelyn, you are just not going to get there in time.”

Mrs Lamb said the treatment her granddaughter had received in Newcastle was first class, and the family were reassured by the familiarity and expertise on offer.

“It would be ridiculous to close such a fantastic unit,” she added. “To be honest, I don’t think any of them should close. If politicians lived the life of a heart patient for one day and saw how much people rely on these resources, their decision would be different.”

Hospital bosses in Newcastle said they are “disappointed” that there will be further delays before the review is implemented.

In a statement, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “We remain confident that the original decision will in due course be upheld, and the Freeman Hospital will be one of the designated centres providing specialist children’s cardiac surgery, for which our performance and very high quality is recognised internationally.”

An SOS statement said: “This judgement is in itself a victory for the people who fought to keep children’s heart surgery services in Yorkshire, and to challenge what they knew to be a flawed and unjust process.”

Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk