‘More time’ call for independent child heart surgery review

Coun John Illingworth, chairman of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Yorkshire and Humber, has asked for more time.

The Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) is expected to give its advice about the national shake-up of children’s heart surgery to the Health Secretary on Tuesday.

But Coun Illingworth said a legal case and the recent temporary suspension of surgery at the Leeds General Infirmary unit meant his committee could not provide comments before the deadline.

He said: “I have written to the Secretary of State for Health to ask him to give urgent consideration to extending the IRP’s deadline until such a time that a number of outstanding matters are resolved.”

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the Health Secretary was considering the letter.

The IRP said they would submit their advice by Tuesday and it would be published when Mr Hunt had made his decision to accept it.