Latest news (22 November 2016): NHS England has announced that the public consultation on its congenital heart disease (CHD) proposals will not take place until the New Year.
In July 2016, NHS England announced plans to reconfigure congenital heart disease services for adults and children. Part of the published proposal included ending congenital heart disease services at Royal Brompton – a proposition that was described by Trust representatives at the time as ‘extraordinary’.
NHS England stated that the reconfiguration would be implemented by April 2017. It has since been made clear that a comprehensive three month public consultation needs to be carried out before any decisions are made, and that this consultation will run from December 2016 to Spring 2017, making the April 2017 target unachievable.
The Board and Council of Governors of Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust strongly oppose the proposal put forward by NHS England, and are committed to maintaining high quality specialist services for congenital heart disease patients at Royal Brompton.