FAMILIES of young heart patients in York are being urged to speak out in the consultation into the future of children's heart surgery.

Health officials are re-evaluating the streamlining of children's heart surgery services after last year's NHS Safe & Sustainable review decision to close three units - including Leeds which treats children from across North Yorkshire - was deemed to be flawed.

NHS England has drawn up new standards with patients, patient groups and staff from affected hospitals, focusing on how surgery is provided for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD). Ten hospitals currently provide CHD surgery, including Leeds General Infirmary and Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital.

Campaigners for the Leeds unit are urging supporters to speak up to keep surgery for youngsters born with heart problems in the city.

Regional charity Children’s Heart Surgery Fund has organised a consultation drop-in event, to explain the new standards and what they mean, on Sunday, November 30, from 11am to 1pm at Marriott Hotel, Tadcaster Road.

Jacqui Scott, from Heworth, whose son Cameron, now eight, has undergone life-saving operations at Leeds, said: "It is vital people attend and find out more about the new review. I would urge people to complete the online consultation and have their views heard."

The standards describe how services should be organised and provided to achieve the highest quality for patients within the available resource, requiring specialist hospitals to work together within regions and across the country to improve care.

They cover 13 areas, including communication with patients and families; staff and skills needed in teams; transition for children moving between child and adult services; and support for patients and their families when their disease is not responsive to treatment.

Sharon Cheng, CHSF director, said the Safe and Sustainable review had "threatened to leave Yorkshire without a children’s heart surgery centre".

“We welcome NHS England’s new review and encourage as many people as possible from across the region to attend. It’s vital that those who have supported our service and fought hard to keep it open understand what NHS England is proposing and how the service will be delivered.”

A decision on whether hospitals will close could be made by next Spring, it has been reported. The consultation ends on December 8.

To respond visit www.engage.england.nhs.uk/consultation/congenital-heart-disease-standards