Heart surgery is set to stay in Leeds.

The decision was announced this morning after years of uncertainty and a campaign by Huddersfield patients eager to keep the vital service in West Yorkshire.

Huddersfield campaigners became embroiled in a three-year campaign to retain services in Leeds after the NHS threatened to close it in 2011, leaving parents with the prospect of having to travel to Newcastle or Liverpool for treatment for their children.

They included Linthwaite mum Gaynor Bearder, whose son Joel, twice had life-saving surgery at the Leeds unit.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled, this is everything we fought for and we have proved that the unit is safe and meets the gold standard. There is the new Keeping The Beat campaign to raise funds for an operating theatre which will further enhance procedures, safety and recovery and we can all be assured that children in our region will continue to receive the very best care from Yorkshire’s only heart unit.

“Knowing Joel will need further surgery as he grows means this is a huge relief to our entire family and to all our heart families.”

Following the announcement from NHS England regarding new Congenital Heart Disease standards, Julian Hartley, Chief Executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I am very pleased that NHS England has confirmed it will continue to commission a full range of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) services for children and adults from Leeds Teaching Hospitals.

“This is extremely positive news for our hardworking congenital heart team at Leeds General Infirmary and I would like to pay tribute to their professionalism and dedication.

“We have a high quality integrated CHD service at Leeds with excellent outcomes and our team have done an outstanding job demonstrating their enthusiasm and ability to comply with the rigorous new national standards.

“I know this news will also be extremely well received by our patients, families, fundraisers and stakeholders right across the Yorkshire and Humber region, including those who have campaigned in support of the Leeds service over many years.

“We have exciting plans to develop our service to fully meet the new standards and look forward to a bright future.”

Leeds City Council leader Clr Judith Blake said: “For families, staff and the wider community the news ends a long period of doubt. Many people have worked extremely hard to ensure Leeds retains this work and I want to pay tribute to them all for their commitment and stalwart support for the campaign to keep a full range of CHD services in the city.”

Clr Rebecca Charlwood, Leeds City Council Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults, and Chair of Leeds Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “Support for the unit has come from across the political spectrum, as well as from across the whole community. I am very pleased this decision has been made and families across Leeds and beyond will continue to have access to these vital services.”

But the number of hospitals in England allowed to perform children’s heart surgery will be reduced.

NHS England has published what it hopes will be the final decision on the matter after previous reviews led to some NHS trusts launching legal action.

The plans cover units performing both adult and children’s congenital heart surgery (CHD), and those providing cardiac specialist care for CHD.

Around 80% of the CHD work undertaken at these units relates to children.

Under the plans, 13 level 1 centres that perform surgery will be cut to 10, and nine level 2 specialist cardiac centres will be cut to four.

Level 1 units set to lose services are those at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Those level 2 units that will lose services - none of which perform surgery - are Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Some NHS trusts said they would fight the decision, with Leicester saying it would not sit by while officials at NHS England “destroy our fabulous service”.

It said its results were among the best in the country and that closing its service would threaten other key children’s services in the region, including intensive care.

Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust in London, which lost a legal challenge over plans to close its unit in 2012, described the decision as “extraordinary” and “ill-conceived”.

The Royal Brompton Hospital

It also criticised NHS England’s handling of the announcement, saying it asked the trust to submit extra detail but then took no notice of it.

Level 1 units set to lose services are those at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust in London.

Those level 2 units that will lose services - none of which perform surgery - are Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

Officials at NHS England believe that while units in England are safe, not all are providing excellent care.

They hope that by centralising services, outcomes for patients will continue to improve, with more patients surviving and those children born with congenital heart defects living longer into adulthood.

The changes are due to be brought in from April next year.