Glenfield Hospital children’s heart unit will remain after all

A DECISION has been made on the future of the children’s heart centre unit at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester - which will secure its future.

It was ruled that children’s heart surgery will be kept at the hospital.

NHS England previously said Glenfield would be unlikely to meet the standards it demands.

However, it has now said that Leicester’s hospitals have submitted a ‘convincing plan’ to meet them.

Campaigners, clinicians, patients and families found out the news on Thursday afternoon last week after NHS England delivered its verdict at a meeting in London.

More than 130,000 people signed a petition against the threat to the heart unit and local MPs made a last ditch visit to Parliament the day before the meeting in a bid to save the centre.

Leicestershire County Council leader Coun Nick Rushton issued the following statement on the decision by NHS England to continue commissioning heart services at Glenfield Hospital.

He said: “I welcome the decision taken by NHS England. It recognises the hard work done by the Trust, its clinicians, many supporters, the local community and politicians to convince the NHS there was a compelling case to continue with heart services here.”

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan also tweeted: “Brilliant news - a huge vote of confidence in the hard work, dedication and campaigning of all the staff, patients and families at @Leic_hospital EMCH- DC #Glenfield.”

Professor Huon Gray, national clinical director for heart disease, NHS England said: “Progress made towards meeting the standards so far is encouraging, and we know that the Brompton and Leicester have gone to great lengths to develop plans to meet the standard.

“However, we have been clear that there is further work to do and where necessary, action must be taken to achieve this within the specified timescales.”