PLANS to appeal against a decision to axe children’s heart surgery in Yorkshire have been launched.
Around 30 MPs and peers from the region met with campaigners in Westminster to decide how they can challenge the judgement announced last week.
Yorkshire’s only paediatric heart surgery unit based at Leeds General Infirmary was among three centres given the chop by members of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts after a major review of children’s cardiac services across England.
It means poorly children from Huddersfield and Calderdale will face longer road trips to hospitals in Newcastle, Liverpool or Birmingham for life-saving surgery from 2014.
Campaigner Sharon Cheng said: “We are extremely grateful to everyone for their time in what was a very productive meeting.
“Since the decision was announced, the outcry from patients and parents has been overwhelming and we are glad that the MPs are listening to their constituents.”
Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney was among those at the meeting and is backing the fight.
He said: “We’ve already had a 600,000-strong petition completely disregarded, so we now need to look at who can overturn this decision which is not in the best interests of children or the hospitals.”
