Following the welcome news by parents yesterday that Southampton’s Children’s Heart Surgery Unit is no longer under threat of closure, this in from Andrew Turner’s office. Ed
The long awaited announcement was made yesterday afternoon that Southampton General Hospital is to remain a specialist paediatric heart surgery centre following the controversial Safe and Sustainable consultation.
The news has been warmly received by Island MP Andrew Turner, who had worked with other MPs on a cross-party campaign to keep the centre open.
Assisted campaign
Last June Mr Turner helped campaigners deliver a petition to Downing Street with over 230,000 signatures, including many from the Island.
It was discovered during the consultation that if Southampton were to close, travel times from the Island to other possible centres had been incorrectly calculated because no account had been taken of the time it takes to cross the Solent by ferry.
Travel challenges recognised
Mr. Turner said, “This is absolutely the right decision. I know people elsewhere in the country will be disappointed – but the needs of Isle of Wight residents had to be properly taken into account.
“Travel times from the Island played a significant role in the final decision to keep Southampton open. Being separated from the mainland presents particular challenges and this was recognised by the review team. Southampton is also ranked as the second best centre in the country, after Guys in London – so any decision other than to keep it open would have been perverse.”
Unbelievable that the Island was overlooked
He went on to say, “It is almost unbelievable that in the preparatory work for this review the fact that the Isle of Wight is an island was overlooked – there is a clue in the name after all! I am afraid this process has caused a great deal of concern and unnecessary worry to the families of very poorly children.
“If the background research had been done properly closure of the Southampton centre may never even have been suggested. Notwithstanding that, I am glad the review team has looked again at the facts and carefully considered the needs of Island residents into account, albeit rather late in the day. I am very pleased they reached the right conclusion.
“Congratulations are due to Helen Laverty who worked so hard and all the other campaigners on the Island and elsewhere who fought to keep the Southampton centre open.”
