News

New review of congenital heart disease (CHD) services – update

NHS England has today published a letter from our Chair, Professor Sir Malcolm Grant to the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Secretary of State for Health, providing a short update on the new review of congenital heart disease (CHD) services.

The letter follows NHS England’s Board meeting held in public on 18 July, which describes the challenge facing NHS England in improving congenital heart disease services and outlines early thinking on the way forward.  In line with NHS England’s commitment to transparency, a video recording of the Board’s discussion is also available.

NHS England is continuing to meet with stakeholders to listen to views and to work together to design the review’s processes.  We will continue to regularly publish the notes from our meetings to open the debate as widely as possible.

In the meantime NHS England’s Medical Director, Sir Bruce Keogh is convening a clinical advisory panel to support him in ensuring excellent clinical engagement and advice.  Sir Michael Rawlins, President of the Royal Society of Medicine and Chair of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence from 1999 to 2013, has agreed to chair the advisory panel.  We will provide more information about membership in due course.

Further updates on the new review of congenital heart disease will be published as part of John Holden’s regular blog.