Families welcome judge’s decision
DOUBLY GRATEFUL: Dad and daughter Paul and Edie Twell (right) owe their lives to Glenfield. They are pictured here in 2011 with Pauls wife, Sally, and daughters Ava, who is Edies twin, and Savannah. Photo: SG140411-114NG
Families fighting to keep open a heart unit that treats South Holland children are welcoming a judge’s ruling that may throw them a life-line.
High Court judge Mrs Justice Davies derailed plans to shut a children’s heart surgery unit at Leeds General Infirmary, ruling NHS decision making as unfair and flawed.
That unit was earmarked for closure along with children’s heart units at Leicester’s Glenfield Hospital and London’s Royal Brompton.
Local campaigners hope the judge’s verdict will help Glenfield survive the cuts, but it’s a waiting game because parents in Leeds don’t even know if the ruling is enough to save children’s heart operations at the infirmary.
Several South Holland families say their children owe their lives to Glenfield, including Spalding mum Faye Sharman whose son, Ollie Turner (6), has undergone three major operations.
“It’s a brilliant place,” she said. “There is no reason why they should shut it.”
Ollie is well now but they still have to go to Glenfield every six months to get medical equipment tested for his warfarin doses.
Faye said: “If they shut it down, we will have to go to Birmingham.”
The Leicester children’s heart unit also saved the life of a Spalding girl, Sofia Larsson (3), who was born with three heart defects.
Her dad Christer Larsson (33) and mum Francesca (31) hope the unit will survive.
Sofia had more surgery there eight weeks ago and is recovering well.
Christer said families are most likely to face trips to London for specialist treatment if the Leicester unit closes.
He said: “Hopefully the judge’s ruling will make a big impact but we can’t really be sure yet. It could mean the whole thing is called off and they (the NHS) will have to do it again.”
Adult heart surgery is safe at Leicester and Gosberton Risegate dad Paul Twell owes his life to the hospital when they repaired his heart after a car crash in 1997.
Eleven years later Glenfield heart doctors saved the life of his twin daughter, Edie, now aged four-and-a-half.
He said: “It’s such a specialist hospital and it’s really important to keep it local.”
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Weather for Spalding
Wednesday 22 May 2013
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