News

A SPECIAL meeting is being held on Wednesday to discuss the closure of the Leeds children's heart unit and the impact it will have on Barnsley.

Councillors on the wellbeing scrutiny commission will discuss the news which will mean patients from Barnsley will have to travel to Newcastle for specialist surgery for their congenital heart defects.

It will also be decided whether the comission should refer their concerns to the secretary of state for health.

Dr John Thomson, congential cardiologist from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, has been invited to the meeting.

Spokesman Coun Jen Worton said: “It is hard to believe that a decision has been made to close the unit at Leeds, which has provided excellent services for many years across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

"If this happens it could be devastating news for sick and vulnerable children in Barnsley and their families, who could now have to travel huge distances for specialist heart surgery. We owe it to those children to look at this issue again and see if the right decision has been made."

The meeting will take place at 2pm at Barnsley Town Hall. If you'd like to take part, email DMETeam@barnsley.gov.uk or call 773004.