Judge to rule on surgery closures by March 7
Monday 18 February 2013
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EmailHigh court judge Justice Nicola Davies said today that she hopes to rule early next month on the legality of proposed changes to children's heart surgery services.
Justice Davies said she would use "every endeavour to get the final judgment out by Thursday March 7."
The judge is being asked to declare that the consultation process which led to the changes, including proposals to close the heart unit at Leeds General Infirmary, was unfair and "procedurally flawed."
Campaign group Save Our Surgery, which represents a large number of residents in the Leeds area, wants a rerun of the consultation.
The legal challenge stems from a decision last July by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts that paediatric cardiac surgery should be concentrated at fewer, larger sites to improve standards across England.
Facing closure are the Leeds site and units at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital and London's Royal Brompton.
The Brompton has already lost its own legal challenge to the proposals.
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