I HOPE we’ve done enough.

Those were the words of an Edgerton doctor who has been fighting to save the Yorkshire children’s heart surgery unit.

Dr Sara Matley, consultant clinical psychologist at the Leeds unit, spoke on the final day for members of the public to comment on plans to close the unit.

People have until today to submit their comments to the Safe and Sustainable NHS review board, who proposed the closure of the Leeds unit as an option concerning the future of cardiac care units.

More than 540,000 people have signed a petition opposing the unit’s closure, with that campaign continuing.

Dr Matley said: “We have been overwhelmed by all of the support we’ve had. People have understood the facts and the logic behind our argument and they’ve given us their support.

“This is not just an emotive issue, it’s about the facts – the statistics go against closure, the operations, the population, the birth rate. Closure doesn’t make sense when you consider those.

“I hope very much the support and the campaign will make a difference and we hope other options can be considered.

“It’s rare to get such unanimous support from all of the MPs. They’ve put their differences aside which is how it should be.

“It has been a stressful thing for everybody, I feel for the families going through this.

“We’ve been working really hard to make sure everything continues as normal, but we’ve seen an increase in referrals in psychiatry. A few people have been anxious and upset, they’ve built up long-term relationships with the surgeons and the nurses and they’re like second families.

“We’re told a decision could be in by autumn and we’re in limbo a bit waiting for it, but I hope for our patients it doesn’t cause more distress.”

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney and Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman joined their Westminster colleagues from Yorkshire, Humberside, North Derbyshire and North Lincolnshire in raising concerns about the review.

A letter says that the review... “should have been an opportunity to have an open, transparent and flawless assessment and consultation into the reconfiguration of children’s heart surgery units.

“Instead there is an overwhelming feeling that the process has been flawed, that judgements have been made based on incomplete or faulty evidence and the outcome pre-determined to favour certain institutions based on producer interests rather that patient interests.”

The letter continues: “Of equal concern is the fact that none of the consultation documents or related papers has been available in any language other than English until May 24, giving patients and families from BME backgrounds over five weeks out of a four month consultation period.

“This would not be acceptable on any basis given that in Yorkshire and the Humber children from a South Asian background make up over 20% of all the cardiac operations carried out in Leeds in the last five years.”

They go on to compare the figures, with the Leeds heart surgery unit serving 13.7m people within a two hour journey and the preferred option, Newcastle, serving 2.8 people.

They conclude: “Over 500,000 local people have signed a petition calling on the Leeds unit to be saved and their voices deserve to be heard.”