The NHS Safe and Sustainable review team, which has been conducting a review of all hospitals that provide children’s heart surgery, has recommended that any reconfiguration of services in England should not include the John Radcliffe's Hospital.
Leslie Hamilton, immediate past president for the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery and a steering group member for the review team, said: "The NHS needs to ensure the very best outcomes for children. The new standards raise the bar on quality and all surgical centres will need to meet these standards. The NHS review team will recommend that the Oxford centre will find it the most difficult - of all the centres - to meet the NHS Safe and Sustainable standards."
Surgery was suspended at the hospital’s unit in March after four children operated on by the same surgeon died between December 2009 and February this year. An inquiry found that although no error of judgement had led directly to the deaths, the surgeon could have benefited from better supervision.
In response to the NHS review a statement from the Oxford hospital said patients, families and staff will be disappointed with the decision.
Andrew Stevens, director of planning and information at the hospital, said: "Oxford is one of the smallest centres and the main thrust of the Safe and Sustainable review is that there should be fewer, larger paediatric cardiac surgery centres in the future. It is perhaps therefore not surprising that Oxford was felt to have the highest mountain to climb."
In the next few months the NHS will publish its full recommendations for children’s congenital heart services. The proposals will be opened to public consultation in 2011.
