Sir David Davis on Leeds Heart Surgery and the suspension of the Safe and Sustainable review

Sir David Davis welcomes the Independent Reconfiguration Panel’s (IRP) conclusion that the decision to end heart surgery at Leeds after the Safe and Sustainable review was based on flawed analysis. Of this news Sir David Davis said:

“Today’s news that the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) has concluded that the Safe and Sustainable was based on flawed analysis is welcome. There were clear discrepancies in the consultation, with heart surgery at Leeds receiving greater scrutiny than other units. It will come as a relief to the excellent campaigners from Save our Surgery, that their hard work to draw attention to the flaws in this process have been acknowledged, and that their concerns were valid.

However it is important to reiterate that whilst the process of the Safe and Sustainable review was flawed, the IRP agree that change is required and that fewer, specialist heart units will ensure the best possible outcomes for children with congenital heart problems. I am pleased that the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt has recognised that difficult decisions will still need to be made to ensure that the best possible care is made available.”