NHS Isle of Wight has supported a response to the national consultation on children’s heart surgery which will see patients from the Isle of Wight referred to services which take account of the quality of service, outcomes and travel times.
Speaking after the PCT’s Board meeting, Director of Public Health and Chief Medical Adviser for the Island, Dr Jenifer Smith said: “This is a very specialist area and it is important that the centres which undertake this life saving work have enough cases to enable the clinical teams who perform these difficult and complex operations to maintain and improve their skills. Not only is Southampton Hospital close for Island patients in terms of travelling time, it also has the second best outcomes in the country. That is why we are supportive of Option B in the consultation document – the only option to include Southampton.
In 2009/10 around 20 Island children needed these services and for the majority both the outcomes and location of Southampton make it our preferred centre of excellence. It is very important that Islanders respond to this consultation.”
At the PCT Board meeting a paper setting out the progress on the National Safe and Sustainable review into Children’s Congenital Heart Services, which has entered a period of public consultation on the 1st March 2011 was considered. The paper (Enclosure K) can be viewed on the NHS Isle of Wight website at www.iow.nhs.uk/PCTBoard. The full consultation document can be viewed at http://www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/safe_sustainable/childrens-congenital-cardiac-services. The consultation closes on 1st July 2011.
The PCT Board noted that a public meetings are being held in Southampton on 24th May 2011 and more details can be found on the Specialised Services website at http://www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/safe_sustainable/public-consultation-2011.
