A HUDDERSFIELD consultant has hit out at proposals to close the Children’s Cardiac Centre at Leeds General Infirmary.

Sara Matley, a consultant clinical psychologist who lives in Edgerton, says the move will push the families of sick children ‘to their limits and beyond’.

The Lepton-born consultant who attended King James’s School, Almondbury, adds that more than 300 children who have open heart surgery each year will be forced to travel further, as will a further 300 youngsters a year who have closed- heart surgery or diagnostic tests.

The loss of 300 hundred beds will also impact on availability during emergencies like swine flu.

The move has come as part of the “safe and sustainable” NHS review into the future of cardiac care units, which presented the closure of the service and the redirection of patients and families to Newcastle as a likely outcome. A consultation period has begun.

Explaining her role, Ms Matley said: “We work with children who are preparing for surgery and who may have fears about blood tests or their procedures, because they may be here for a long time.

“There is also more emotional work as we can be part of end of life decisions with parents about whether their child dies in a hospice or at home, and we support them after the child’s death.

“We are urging people to sign our petition because this impacts on all the children of Yorkshire not just ‘heart children’. Once this service is gone it's gone for ever and this will affect generations to come.

“I also want to make the point that people might not have any need for this service now but their daughters, sons, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, yet to be born might and it won't be there.

“This is everyone’s business.

“Leeds is one of the few centres in the country with foetal medicine – where babies can be diagnosed with heart conditions, their mothers can give birth in the maternity unit and the infants can be cared for in the neonatal unit. The children can have heart surgery, and be looked after in the dedicated paediatric intensive care unit. We are unique in that sense.

“If we move to Newcastle mums will be separated from their sick children, it will be like the 1970s again and we will be going backwards.”

She added that there are 14 million people within a two hour drive of Leeds, while only two million live within a two-hour drive of Newcastle. She is calling on the public and schools to write letters and sign a petition.

Ms Matley said: “These changes will increase the distress of families. Everyday I see people struggling on an emotional and practical level to manage the pressure on their child, their home and their other children.

“This move is going to push many more people to the limits of their capacity and beyond.

“My colleagues and I feel incredibly strongly that this needs to be fought and to do that people need to have the correct and ‘real’ information and impact outlined, more than the Government are letting on.

“Yorkshire needs to make a big noise about this.”

Staff are calling on readers to add their names to a petition at www.chsf.org.uk/save-our-heart-surgery-unit

They also want members of the public to write to Sir Neil McKay, Chair of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, NHS East of England, 2-4 Victoria House, Capital Park, Flour, Cambridge, CB21 5XB.