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Safety concerns at children's heart surgery unit in Leeds

A children's heart surgery service is in a "precarious state" amid concerns over staffing, above-average death rates and an increase in major complications, a report has Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust ordered an external review into the heart surgery unit at Leeds General Infirmary after concerns were first raised by medics in November paediatric mortality rates were within expected levels between 2021 and 2023, recent outcomes show a significant deterioration with the risk-adjusted death rate now about three times higher than the national medical officer Dr Magnus Harrison said a "robust action plan" was in place to deliver recommendations. Trust bosses have also been told urgent action was needed to address "a staffing crisis" in the congenital cardiac service at Leeds General Infirmary. Complex cases The report found rates of serious complications had also increased, including the need for re-operations and extended hospital stays, the Local Democracy Service was given for how the service was dealing with rising numbers of complex cases but recent poor patient outcomes and the imminent retirement of a senior surgeon placed the entire programme "in a very precarious state", the report warned of national consequences and direct impacts on services in Liverpool and Newcastle adding that the paediatric cardiac surgical programme at Leeds was "too large for it to be allowed to fail".Trust bosses said a new surgeon would join the team in January and more specialist nurses were being trained. 'Deeply sorry' A separate review was carried out into the care of seven children operated on by the same surgeon, including two who unnamed surgeon, who was placed on restricted duties, was found to have performed well in three of the complex cases but there were concerns over a further eighth case is still under trust acknowledged that, in four cases, care could have been better though the reviewer did not conclude that these issues had an impact on the overall outcome for each Harrison said: "I would like to thank the parents of those seven children whose care we reviewed and extend my sincere condolences to the families of the two children who sadly died."I am deeply sorry that in four children's cases, the findings indicate that there were elements of care that could have been improved."I apologise that we did not meet the highest standard of care that we strive for." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.