Potential safety risks to unsustainable kids’ heart care

The review of Paediatric Congenital Cardiac Services recommended that the potential safety risks be addressed within a period of six months.

At the request of DHSSPS, the HSC Board in partnership with the Public Health Agency, established a Working Group in August 2012.

This Group was tasked with developing a document to include the following areas for formal public consultation:

Service specification for commissioning Paediatric Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology for children from Northern Ireland;

Clear criteria against which the service model options should be assessed; and Potential service model options.

The consultation document has been prepared by the Working Group and subsequently approved by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

The membership of the Working Group includes representatives from the HSC Board, Public Health Agency, Belfast Trust, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, Western Trust, Patient and Client Council, parents and parent groups.

The document, Consultation on the future delivery of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology for the population of Northern Ireland, can be obtained from the Board’s website www.hscboard.hscni.net/consult/PCCS_Consultation

HSC Board Director of Commissioning and Chair of the Working Group, Mr Dean Sullivan, commended members of the Working Group for their efforts in producing the consultation document.

Mr Sullivan said: “The insight and expert knowledge provided by everyone on the Working Group was invaluable in producing a balanced and comprehensive consultation document.

“The shared objective of everyone involved is to secure future arrangements that provide a high quality, safe, sustainable, accessible and timely service for children from Northern Ireland.

“It is very important that everyone with an interest in these vital services considers what we have presented and makes known their views during the course of the consultation.”

A 12-week period of consultation will end on Friday, December 21, 2012.

A series of public meetings will be held over the next three months at venues across Northern Ireland to provide further information on the proposals and encourage input into the consultation process. Details will be published in the press and on the Board’s website.

Following the end of the consultation period, the Working Group will develop a post-consultation document, incorporating an analysis of responses and recommendations on the future delivery of services for the population of Northern Ireland.

The Minister will consider this document before making a decision on the future model for provision of paediatric cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology for the population of Northern Ireland in early 2013.