All-island review for heart services
An all-island review of cardiology and cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease has been announced by Health Minister Edwin Poots and his Irish counterpart, James Reilly. The review will run from January to June 2014 and be carried out by three international clinicians: Dr John Mayer (Boston Children’s Hospital), Dr Adrian Moran (Main Medical Centre, Portland) and an expert in anaesthetics to be appointed later in December.
It will describe the existing hospital services in both jurisdictions, outline options for service configuration and governance arrangements, and recommend a model to meet the population health needs and other requirements of both jurisdictions.
Once the assessment has been received, ministers will decide on the future shape of services, both for adults and children. The future of children’s heart services in Belfast has been a live issue due to the approaching retirement of the lead surgeon, Professor Freddie Woods. This will leave just one cardiac surgeon at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
Minister Poots said that the review “will bring international best practice and fresh thinking to bear on this challenging issue.” He added: “My key priority throughout this process has been, and remains, to ensure the delivery of a safe and sustainable service for these vulnerable children.”
The Children’s Heartbeat Trust welcomed the announcement, as it showed that an all-island cardiac surgery network is “possible and achievable”. Ninety-one MLAs have signed a pledge to keep children’s cardiac surgery in Belfast.
