Public urged to speak up over child surgery

More than 17,000 people have responded in a public consultation over proposals to reduce the number of centres carrying out specialist surgery from 11 to six or seven.

Campaigners in Yorkshire fear services at Leeds Children’s Hospital could face the axe as it is including in only one of four potential configurations of care.

NHS officials say they have held a host of focus groups, parents workshops and consultation events.

Further checks are being made on travel patterns of patients who could face treks from Yorkshire to Liverpool, Leicester or Newcastle if services in Leeds went.

The consultation runs until July 1 and a decision is expected in the autumn although the final say could rest with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.