Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Director of Transformation and Partnerships that provided background information in respect of NHS England’s current consultation on proposals to implement standards for congenital heart disease services for Children and Adults in England and invites members to support the retention of Level 1 surgery and interventional cardiology for Adults and Children at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (for copy see file of Minutes).

The Principal Overview and Scrutiny Officer advised that the national consultation document sets out a range of proposed clinical standards for children and adults congenital heart disease services.  The document included a recommendation to retain services currently provided at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  This came with a proviso that the Foundation Trust would work with NHS England to develop proposals which would co-locate childrens’ and adults’ congenital heart services on one site.

The Chairman informed Members that James Cook were not a level 2 hospital as they had not applied for it.

Members were advised that this issue had been discussed at the North East Regional Joint Health Scrutiny Committee and that Committee had welcomed the proposals to retain Level 1 surgery and interventional cardiology for Adults and Children at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. There were concerns amongst members around the conditions placed upon Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals Foundation Trust around the need to co-locate children and adults CHD services on 1 site and the timescales that this may involve. To this end, the North East Regional Joint Health Scrutiny Committee asked for regular updates back to that Committee upon the work to be undertaken by the Trust to meet the requirements of NHS England’s derogation in this respect.

The North East Regional Joint Health Scrutiny Committee were also minded to recommend their support for the retention of Level 1 surgery and interventional cardiology for Adults and Children at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and sought confirmation of this approach from the constituent authorities.

Resolved:

(i)            That the report be received.

(ii)          That a response to the consultation on proposals to implement standards for congenital heart disease services for Children and Adults in England via the North East Regional Joint Health Scrutiny Committee that members support the retention of Level 1 surgery and interventional cardiology for Adults and Children at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust be agreed.