Glenfield children's heart unit moves after battle to save it

Staff have spent the past few days completing the switch

A children's heart unit has moved to a new permanent home following a long-running campaign to keep it open.

The East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital first faced closure in 2012.

Following a campaign backed by thousands of people, which included petitions and marches, it has relocated to Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI).

One campaign leader said the new unit - located within the children's department - would be "fantastic".

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The unit treated about 200 children a year at Glenfield Hospital

The unit originally faced closure in 2012 as part of a national reorganisation but NHS England eventually agreed the service could continue if it relocated to the LRI.

Staff and patients have spent the past few days completing the move to the new purpose-built facility.

The relocation has cost about £14m and the new unit includes a cardiac ward, paediatric intensive care unit and a cardiac theatre.

Timeline: Glenfield children's heart unit

July 2012: The unit is told it will be closed as part of a national shake-up aimed at focusing expertise into fewer locations. It would make Birmingham the nearest heart unit for local children.

July 2015: Following a review, NHS England says the heart unit will be saved and will move to the LRI.

July 2016: NHS England withdraws its support for the move, saying the service does not meet new national standards. Once again, the unit is told it will have to close.

November 2017: After campaigning continues, NHS England bosses change their minds and say the service can remain open provided it meets national standards and the relocation goes ahead.

Adam Tansey said the team that treated his son Albert was "amazing"

Albert Tansey, now 12, from Burbage in Leicestershire, was seven days old when he had open-heart surgery at Glenfield Hospital after being born with half a heart.

His story featured prominently in the campaign to keep the service running.

"It's always difficult when your child is sick but when they have a condition they will die from - without the world's best care - you really do put their life in the hands of the amazing staff," his father Adam said.

"It changed our lives. It's emotional thinking about where we've been and what they've done for us.

"There are very few centres in the country capable of doing this type of surgery and to have this centre down the road - we were so fortunate."

Albert (at the front, pictured with his brothers, sister, mum Annita and dad Adam) had his "life changed" by the service, according to his family

He welcomed the decision to move all services for children to a new children's hospital.

He added having everything under one roof was important for parents who were in the same position as they had been 12 years ago.

"There was a massive team behind the campaign to save the service and we all lived and breathed this whilst watching our child fight to survive," he said.

"It's quite surreal and actually I've not thought about it much until now. It's been so long coming.

"Actually having a children's hospital with paediatric heart surgery is incredibly special."

Leicester Royal Infirmary is just over three miles away from Glenfield Hospital

Shirley Barnes, from charity Heart Link, has been part of the fight to keep the unit open and the charity donated £170,000 to the new unit.

"The campaign involved people from all walks of life and everyone in the community as well," she said.

"In order to keep this fantastic unit in the East Midlands and in Leicester, this was the trade-off.

"It had to move and the new unit is going to be fantastic in looking towards the future needs of children."