Investigation into deaths as children's heart surgery is suspended at John Radcliffe Hospital (From Bucks Free Press)

Investigation into deaths as children's heart surgery is suspended at John Radcliffe Hospital

9:51am Thursday 4th March 2010 in

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CHILDREN’s heart surgery has been suspended at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital because of an investigation into the deaths of four children.

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals Trust (ORH) said: “We have temporarily suspended the paediatric cardiac surgery service while we investigate concerns that have been raised.

“Our investigations are likely to include an external review of the deaths of some very sick children (four children) who underwent surgery at our hospital in the last three to four months.”

The hospital also takes children from Buckinghamshire, many of whom cannot use Wycombe Hospital, which no longer treats children requiring an overnight stay (see link below).

The families of children awaiting cardiac surgery are being contacted and children who needed to be seen urgently would be treated at other hospitals, ORH said.

A spokesman added: “We are reviewing each of these patients to ensure that they are not put at risk by any delay in their treatment.

“Any hospital might, at some time, have a run of deaths in a service that provides treatment for patients who are very unwell. However, it is right that we take a pause while we look in to the individual cases, to see if there is anything to learn from them.”