Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
That's it for today's live updates. We'll be back at 08:00 on Friday.
Summary
NHS England planning to stop children's heart surgery in Leicester
Surgery to move to other hospitals
Health bosses vow to fight decision
Updates for Thursday 7 July 2016
Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Mother worries about end of Glenfield heart surgerypublished at 17:50 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveQuote MessageMy son, who's two, has had two open heart surgeries and he's due for another open heart surgery in a year's time. Me and my partner do not drive and have to ask his grandad to take us every time he has surgery. I have no idea where we would be having to go or how we would even get there - Glenfield is only an hour away from me. This is going to be so difficult for me and my family as we really have no family support and have two other children, aged five and one.
Danielle Westerman, Mother
Image source, Danielle WestermanGlenfield decision: Latest headlinespublished at 17:37 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local Live- Plans have been announced to stop children's heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital
- Leicester MP Liz Kendall calls an urgent meeting with the health secretary to discuss the decision
- Parents have told us they are worried they will have to travel long distances for their children to have heart surgery
Children's heart surgery under threat for yearspublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveThe future of heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital has been uncertain for a long time.
A review several years ago also concluded services in Leicestershire should stop but it was found to have been flawed and the plan was abandoned.
This is David Cameron talking about that review in 2013...
Your views: Children's heart surgery to stop in Leicesterpublished at 17:11 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
FacebookThere are a lot of comments on our Facebook , externalpage about the news children’s heart surgery will be stopped at Glenfield Hospital.
Many parents are worried about the distance they may now need to travel...
Image source, ThinkstockRanjit Singh Nagra says: "What a disgrace my daughter had a heart surgery at Glenfield hospital I feel sorry for the children and parents who will have to travel miles for surgery the government are killing us."
Hayley Spencer says: "This is terrible news!! My little boy River had open heart surgery there in October for Tetralogy of Fallot. He received the best possible care and we can't fault the unit or the staff who provided his care. What happens if he needs more surgery?! Where will we go?! Glenfield is so handy for us living in Derby."
City's children's heart surgery to stoppublished at 16:56 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveYou can read the full story on the news that children heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital is likely to be stopped here.
Glenfield decision 'should be reconsidered'published at 16:42 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveGlenfield decision 'will affect whole of East Midlands'published at 16:24 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveGiles Peek is professor of paediatric cardiac surgery at a children's hospital in New York .
Until last year he was based at Glenfield Hospital as head of service at the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre.
He says: "I think this is going to be almost a death now for paediatric service in the whole of the East Midlands.
"The services at Glenfield support specialist paediatric services at the [Leicester] Royal Infirmary and in all hospitals in the East Midlands."
Liz Kendall: Decision to close children's heart surgery unit 'is wrong'published at 16:08 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postMP: Glenfield decision would 'compromise intensive care unit'published at 15:54 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveMore from Liz Kendall on the Glenfield decision.
Quote Message"The children’s heart surgery unit at Glenfield provides a superb service to families throughout the East Midlands. Decisions must be based on what’s best for children and the latest evidence on clinical outcomes shows that the East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre is one of the best performing surgical centres in England. Closing the unit would also compromise our paediatric intensive care unit, with a knock on effect on other vital children’s services in Leicester, and put at risk our world leading ECMO service which is the largest in the country, with the only national patient transport service.
Liz Kendall, MP
MP calling 'urgent meeting' over Glenfieldpublished at 15:39 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveLeicester West MP Liz Kendall said she would fight the decision to end children's heart surgery at Glenfield.
“Ensuring children get the very best quality of care is my absolute priority and I will work with the local community, clinicians and other MPs to fight this decision.
"I am today writing to the Secretary of State for Health to set out my opposition to its closure and request an urgent meeting. We successfully fought to save the heart unit in 2013 and we will now fight to save it again," she said.
Children's heart surgery under threat once againpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveIt appeared the future of children's heart surgery in Leicester had been secured less than a year ago.
Surgery was set to switch to the new children's hospital at Leicester Royal Infirmary but the introduction of new standards in April seems to have scuppered the plans.
Hospital trust boss: 'We strongly disagree'published at 15:02 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveIt's fair to say health bosses in Leicester aren't happy about the decision to end children's heart surgery in Leicester.
Quote Message“Over the last 18 months we have made excellent progress, with the support of our charities and partner organisations, to meet the standards set by NHS England through the New Congenital Heart Disease Review. We are confident that our clinical outcomes are now amongst the best in the country so we strongly disagree with NHS England’s decision and will not sit by whilst they destroy our fabulous service.”
John Adler, Chief executive, University of Leicester Hospitals Trust
Your views: Glenfield to stop children's heart surgerypublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
FacebookBack to plans to stop children's heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital. Your comments are continuing to come in thick and fast on our Facebook page, external.
Kate Watts said: "Outrageous! The last I heard it was going to be encompassed within the new Children's Hospital?? Such a waste of the expertise and resources already in place in our city."
Rugby: Tigers start season awaypublished at 14:18 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
BBC Leicester SportThe fixtures are out - Leicester Tigers will begin the new Premiership season on a Friday night away at Gloucester., external
Image source, Getty ImagesKick-off will be at 19:45 on 2 September.
Latest headlines for Leicestershirepublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveHere's a recap of our top stories:
- The NHS is planning to stop children's heart surgery in Leicester
- A man is still being questioned over the death of a man found injured in Abbey Park
- Rugby: Leicester Tigers will start next season away at Gloucester
County council 'urgently seeking information' on heart unit closurepublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveThe authority says it will be discussing the closure at a meeting this afternoon.
Quote Message“This is the wrong decision, for the children and families who need these services. Glenfield’s unit provides an excellent service and has united support from the local community, politicians and NHS officials. Closing the unit is not justified at all. The work UHL (the hospitals trust) has been doing has been exactly in line with what the NHS required. I will be urgently seeking further information so I can fully understand the implications, on Glenfield and the wider NHS. We cannot afford to lose such a valued unit.”
Ernie White, Cabinet member for health, Leicestershire County Council
Your views: Glenfield to stop children's heart surgerypublished at 13:35 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
FacebookWe've had a few comments on our Facebook page, external about plans to stop children's heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital.
Sylv Hogan says: "What a wast of money. I hope the government are going to foot the bill for transportation and putting up the parents of the poorly kids that now are going to have to travel hundreds of miles."
Nadir Alimohamed says: "No way!!! They can't do that. They operated on my son when he was a few weeks old and they have done such an amazing job."
Afternoon weather updatepublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
A cloudy afternoon with a few showers and occasional brighter intervals and highs of 20C (68F).
Glenfield decision followed national reviewpublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 7 July 2016
Amy Woodfield
BBC Local LiveThe review of children's heart surgery in Leicester took place after NHS England published new commissioning standards.
Patients and families have been campaigning to keep the unit open for several years - but it looks like their worst fears may now be realised.
