Working group for children’s heart surgery services

The Minister made the decision after he received an external report on Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services (PCCS) which highlighted that the current level of service provision in Belfast is not sustainable in the longer term.

Health Minister Edwin Poots said: “It is reassuring that the report found no immediate safety concerns presented by current arrangements. However, the report has suggested there are issues of sustainability of PCCS in Northern Ireland, mainly because of low activity levels. The report also indicates these issues must be addressed within six months.

“I have therefore asked the Health and Social Care Board to establish with immediate effect, a working group to look at a range of models for how this service can be delivered in the future minimising any adverse impact on children, parents and other paediatric and cardiac services. This group will consist of parents, parent group representatives and clinicians.”

The Minister has asked the group to develop criteria to assess a range of models for delivering the service and consider the impact of the criteria on current service provision in Belfast.

The Minister said: “I want the HSCB to consider the safety and sustainability of the services in Belfast, taking account of the Report, and to look at the potential of an all-island model as well as considering a model which includes arrangements with other centres in the UK. In addition, I want the HSCB to make sure we have the most robust retrieval and transport services available to ensure we can move patients quickly, particularly in emergency situations.

“At this stage, I have not made any decisions on how children’s heart surgery will be provided and the criteria and service specification developed by the working group will be subject to public consultation.”

The Minister concluded: “I fully appreciate that parents and children living with congenital cardiac problems may be anxious about any potential changes and how these might impact on the care provided to them.

“I want to reassure families that my aim is to ensure a safe, sustainable service into the future. I hope to be in a position to announce the model for Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services for Northern Ireland in early 2013. I wish to put on record my appreciation of the team delivering this service in Belfast. Their dedication and commitment has clearly been evident to the Review Team.”