Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development introduced additional information provided by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) in response to information provided by the JCPCT.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Stacey Hunter, Divisional General manager, Children’s Services, LTHT
• John Thomson, Paediatric Cardiologist, LTHT

Additional information relating to the potential delivery of three nationally commissioned services, namely Extra  Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), Heart Transplant services and Complex Tracheal Surgery, by LTHT was outlined in the report.

Following a brief presentation and introduction of the report, the following issues, including comments and questions from members of the Joint HOSC,  were discussed:

• LTHT felt that the JCPCT evaluation of their ability to be capable of providing an Extra  Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service was inconsistent and it was unclear how the conclusion had been reached that the Trust would be unable to deliver such a service.  It was felt that LTHT did have the capacity to develop the service within the timescale for development and providing the necessary training.  It was felt that there had not been a comprehensive options appraisal. .
• There were 18 beds in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at LTHT.
• LTHT had still not had a detailed breakdown of how the assessments had been scored by the JCPCT or been given an opportunity to reply.
• It was felt that population density across Yorkshire and the Humber had not been taken properly into account when the overall options had been prepared for public consultation.
• LTHT did not consider themselves to be a low volume centre. Four of the other centres in the proposed options carried out a significantly smaller number of procedures, two other centres carried out a comparable number of procedures and only three centres carried out more procedures.
• While it was recognised that the review only considered services in England, it was felt it would have been appropriate to include Scotland when considering the likely total number of surgical procedures and therefore the number of surgical centres required.
• It was felt that services for adults should have also been included within the scope of the review, and not subject to a separate review process that would not be concluded until the outcome of the Children’s review was known.  Members believed that this approach would inevitably predetermine the review of services for adults.
• There were significant issues relating to capacity planning and, yet to be resolved issues, around projected patient flows, and concern that children and families (many from Yorkshire and the Humber) would have to travel further so that other hospitals/ surgical centres could reach the suggested number of procedures.
• It was reported that the patient flow analysis carried out by Price, Waterhouse and Cooper would not be available before the Joint HOSC’s October 2011 consultation deadline.  This was felt to be unsatisfactory as the Joint HOSC had to submit its response to the JCPCT by 5 October, 2011.
• It had been accepted by the JCPCT that there had been some factual inaccuracies associated with the assessment of LTHT.
• Work carried out between the SCG and LTHT that demonstrated that LTHT provided more co-located services than other units in other options that did not include Leeds..

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report and discussion be noted.

(b)  That the issues raised be incorporated into the Joint HOSCs response  to the proposed changes to Children’s Congenital Heart Services in England and the proposed reconfiguration of designated surgical centres, and its associated report.