Kids at risk over heart ops quality
POOR heart surgery will kill more children unless health bosses cut the number of hospitals doing the ops, a top cardiac professor has warned.
Professor Roger Boyle – former government heart “czar” – lashed out ahead of a report on the deaths of at least 10 children at Bristol Children’s Hospital.
He said: “Doctors and hospitals are putting themselves before patients. We need children’s surgery at fewer hospitals so standards are kept high.”
A new NHS England report agrees.
In 2012, Professor Boyle intervened over the deaths of 35 young heart patients at Leeds General Infirmary.
The scandal at Bristol is the second involving poor heart surgery there.
Professor Ian Kennedy, who led the first inquiry, called for a reduction in the number of hospitals carrying out operations to raise standards.
But ministers failed to force through the changes.
The new report – also led by Kennedy – will again criticise care at Bristol.
Bosses at 11 hospitals doing child heart surgery cannot agree which will do the most complex. An NHS England report says there is “a real safety risk”.
Prof Boyle added: “Politicians have refused to bite the bullet and do what is necessary so substandard surgery is likely to continue.”