MPs hit back at critics in their fight to save region’s heart unit

Politicians from all three parties have dismissed claims by MPs in the North-East that they are trying to unduly influence Ministers to keep heart surgery at the Leeds General Infirmary which would spell closure for the unit at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Nearly 500,000 people have signed a Save our Surgery petition to keep services in Leeds as NHS bosses consider plans to cut the number of centres providing heart surgery, with a decision being made later this year. If the Leeds centre closes, patients and their families would be forced to travel to Newcastle, Liverpool or Leicester for treatment.

But tensions are now at risk of spilling over after former Labour Minister Nick Brown, MP for Newcastle East, complained about Yorkshire politicians’ lobbying, leading to other North East MPs raising concerns.

“All the evidence points to a decision in favour of the Freeman,” said Mr Brown. “That should be an end to the matter, but Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs in Yorkshire have started a political campaign to lobby the Secretary of State for Health in favour of Leeds and, by implication, against the Freeman.”

But Stuart Andrew, Tory MP for Pudsey, said: “I’m really disappointed that he thinks an MP fighting for their own area is a problem, but I’m also more disappointed he’s trying to turn this party political by saying it’s coalition MPs that have been involved in this campaign.

“He clearly doesn’t understand this has been cross-party. There’s been a lot of brilliant work from Labour, Liberal Democrat and Tory MPs on this issue and we’re not trying to make this a political issue at all.”

And Angela Smith, Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said: “This is a cross-party campaign and MPs across Yorkshire are just doing their job for their area, just as Nick is doing his.

“In the end the decision will have to be taken and it ought to be done on the grounds of the argument and should not be influenced by anybody levelling accusations at colleagues who are just doing their job.”

Under a national review, fewer hospitals will carry out heart surgery on children – with health bosses arguing that fewer but larger centres with more expertise will provide better care – but Leeds is included in only one of four potential configurations of care which are currently being discussed in a national consultation.

Campaigners claim the Leeds unit has advantages over other centres, not least because it serves such a large population, with patients from across the region and beyond using it.

While a strong campaign has been run in Yorkshire to win backing for the Leeds unit, MPs have also been raising the issue in Westminster, where Health Secretary Andrew Lansley could be forced to make the final decision if the verdict of an NHS panel is challenged.

This week North West Durham MP Pat Glass urged Health Minister Simon Burns “not to bow to political pressure” when deciding the fate of children’s heart units. He gave a “categorical assurance” the decision would be made on clinical grounds.

Greg Mulholland, Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, said: “Nick Brown should get his facts straight because as is absolutely clear MPs from all parties are fully behind the campaign to save the excellent children’s heart unit in Leeds. No MP is advocating that any of the centres should close but the reality is that the case for Leeds is overwhelming.”