Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has asked Parliamentary questions to demand more information about an assessment of hospitals carrying out children’s heart surgery.
The details are linked to one of the central arguments in the High Court challenge that was brought by Leeds campaigners over the decision to shut the city’s unit.
Save Our Surgery (SOS) is fighting the controversial decision to move children’s heart surgery from Leeds General Infirmary.
At the case, heard earlier this month in London, the legal team for SOS argued that full details of the assessments by a panel of experts should have been released before the final decision was made in July last year.
Only the overall scores were provided to decision-makers, rather than how the hospitals scored on specific criteria.
At court, barristers for the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts – which made the decision – said there was concern that disclosing the full detail before the choice was made would undermine the process.
The outcome of the case is expected next week.
Morley and Outwood MP Ed Balls has tabled two urgent questions, asking for all the information submitted by hospitals as part of the assessment, which documents were considered by the panel and by which panel members. The Labour MP has also asked for the names of those who had access to the details of the scoring before the decision was made.
He said: “All along, the papers that lead to the original decision have never made available.
“Families from our area, who are already caring for sick children, shouldn’t have to face long and tiring journeys to Newcastle or Liverpool on top of everything else. We urgently need answers and it’s the Government’s job to provide them.”
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