BISHOP IS BACKING HEART UNIT CAMPAIGN

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Bishop is backing heart unit campaign

The Bishop of Leicester has criticised plans to move children's heart surgery and the specialist extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (Ecmo) treatment from Glenfield Hospital.

The Rt Rev Tim Stevens signed an online petition calling on Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to re-think plans to move the services to Birmingham.

Glenfield Hospital is one of four centres in England that will cease to provide surgery for children born with heart problems, following an NHS review.

Bishop Tim said: "In recent days, I have received a large number of letters and e-mails and had conversations with numerous people who are concerned that the loss of the children's heart surgery unit and the Ecmo facility from Leicester will significantly harm the chances of people living in the East Midlands and further afield in the eastern part of the UK.

"I have visited the heart surgery unit and know that it and the Ecmo facility have an international reputation for excellence.

"Skill levels and success rates are higher than similar services elsewhere.

"It is not at all clear the move to Birmingham will be straightforward."In fact, I fear the movement of these services will be harmful to the nation as a whole, as the skills of a unique team will potentially be lost.

"It has been reported that it may take anywhere between five and 20 years to recover the Ecmo skills currently at Glenfield."

Bishop Tim said he would be raising the matter in the House of Lords when it resumes sitting.

The online petition has now been signed by more than 57,500 people since it was set up at the start of July.

To sign the petition go to: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/