Controversial reforms to reduce the number of hospitals providing children’s heart surgery from 10 to seven have been halted. The Independent reports that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt ditched the plans following a report on the proposals, which found they were based on “flawed analysis”. The decision means reprieves for units at Leeds General Infirmary, Glenfield hospital in Leicester and Royal Brompton in London.
Some 2.3 million children were living in relative poverty in 2011/12, the latest government statistics have revealed. The figure is unchanged from 2010/11 but 300,000 more children are now living in absolute poverty. But Anita Tiessen, deputy executive director of UNICEF UK, said the present day figure is likely to be higher: "In the time period covered by today's figures, major austerity measures - like cuts to council tax benefit and the introduction of the bedroom tax - had not yet come into force, so this data does not reflect their probable harmful impact on children's wellbeing."
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