An international team of experts will carry out a review of current and future needs of children’s heart surgery in the North and the Republic, it has been announced.
Dr John Mayer.
The assessment of paediatric congenital cardiac services has been commissioned by Health Ministers Edwin Poots MLA and James Reilly TD.
A team of three international clinicians will carry out an independent assessment of current and future needs for cardiology and cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease on both sides of the border.
The assessment team will describe the existing hospital services in both jurisdictions, outline options for service configuration and governance arrangements and report to both Ministers, jointly, recommending the most appropriate model that meets the population health needs and other requirements of both jurisdictions.
The assessment will in this way address the needs of children and adults in relation to congenital cardiac surgery on the whole island.
It is due to start next month and be completed in six months.
When the Ministers receive this independent assessment, decisions will then be made on the optimal service provision which it is intended will be implemented for these services as soon as possible.
In the interim, pending the completion of the assessment in June 2014, health service management and clinicians in the Republic of Ireland will continue to work with their colleagues in Belfast to provide and develop support to the services in Northern Ireland.
Expert team comprises: Dr. John Mayer (chairperson), Consultant Cardiac Surgeon, Boston Children’s Hospital and Dr. Adrian Moran, Consultant Cardiologist, Main Medical Centre, Portland
An anaesthetics expert will be appointed to complete the team before it starts to work in January.
The team will be supported by specialist professional nursing representation and other expertise as necessary
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