All Ireland Children's Heart Surgery Provision
By Mary Louise Connolly
August 30th
This article focused on restoring a
heart surgery clinic located in Belfast.
Many people’s future depended on the location and restoration of this
clinic. UK wide review stated that the service
at the Royal Belfast Hospital is safe but it’s not sustainable. Meaning it was not up to par and would not
last, causing people to have to travel to England for treatments instead of
staying in their home towns. Edwin
Poots, a stormont Health minister, took the time to review the claim. People argued that if they were to have to
travel to England to receive the help and assistance they needed it would place
a lot of stress on both the parents and the children being treated. Luckily over 10,000 people signed a petition
that called for the retention of the surgery center in Belfast. Sarah Quinn from children’s heart beat trust
stated that; the goal was to keep the children’s heart services in
Belfast. She to also believe that having
parents and patients travel all the way to England for help is unacceptable. A few people have stated that having to
travel to England is simply unimaginable.
It would place a huge burden on the family and would have caused various
people to be separated from their families and friends back home; In addition
the financial pressures would have been very difficult to cope with. The article had a few testimonials from kids
who have gone through heart surgery in the past at the Belfast location. One from Liam Turner 15 stated “having a
heart defect means I get tired and out of breath easily” I wouldn’t want to
have to travel all the way to England for my treatment and be so far away from
my family and friends”. In conclusion
the group plans to hold meetings in September and October across Northern Ireland
that will determine the fate of the heart center.
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