Campaigners fighting to keep children’s heart surgery in Leeds have asked for a year-long delay to the shake-up.
Supporters of the Leeds General Infirmary unit have drawn up a compromise which they say would prevent legal action.
Under the plans, children’s heart surgery would carry on in both Leeds and Newcastle.
A decision would be delayed until April 2014, by which time campaigners say it would be clear which centre parents chose to go to.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been sent the suggested solution from LGI-based charity the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
Director Sharon Cheng said: “It’s the sensible option. We’re not looking to hold up the process in the South, but asking them to look at the North.
“It would be the perfect solution considering how many voters are in this region.”
She said they hoped the Government would consider the proposal soon, before final decision was taken about whether the charity was to take legal action.
Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew described the new plans in Parliament yesterday.
He said: “I recognise this is independent of Government, but we’ve got to tackle this problem – it is not going to go away.
“This solution would only amount to a one-year pause, and given that legal proceedings are likely to happen there’s going to be a one-year pause anyway.”
Greg Mulholland, Leeds North West MP, said the decision was “deeply flawed” and accused the NHS body which made it of “obstructionism” in not handing over information.
As reported in the Yorkshire Evening Post last week, campaigners are poised to seek a judicial review.
In July NHS bosses decided to close the Leeds surgery unit, with Leeds and Wakefield families expected to travel to Newcastle.
However Leeds supporters have questioned whether sufficient numbers would go there, meaning it may not meet the minimum number of operations needed.
They say the new proposal would allow time to see whether the North East hospital met the requirement.
Other planned changed across the country would go ahead now.
A spokeswoman for the Safe and Sustainable review said they would respond to the compromise and the legal threat soon.
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