£6m spent on Glenfield review

A backbench debate took place in the House of Commons earlier today, which was sparked by a 100,000 signed petition against the proposed closure of Glenfield Congential Heart Unit.

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Liz Kendall MP has revealed that in a letter to the chair of the independent panel looking at the closure of Glenfield children's heart services, the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt has requested a further review of the decisions first taken earlier this year.

Liz Kendall has confirmed that the decision by the Secretary of State for Health's the decision to remove the ecmo equipment from Glenfield to Birmingham should not form part of the review she says it is "madness not to link the two".

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There was a glimmer of hope today for those campaiging against the closure of the children's heart surgery unit in Leicester.

An e-petition against the decision reached 100,000 signatures.

This milestone will now trigger a debate in Parliament over the decision to move the services from Glenfield hospital to Birmingham.

Chairman of Keep the Beat, a charity supporting the campaign to keep the children's heart surgery unit open, says today is an incredible day for the cause.

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Campaigners against the closure of children's heart services at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital expect their e-petition to reach 100,000 signatures at some point today.

When an e-petition has 100,000 signatures, a debate must be held in Parliament on the issue in question.

The petition was launched 48 hours after the decision to transfer children's heart services to Birmingham.

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Campaigners fighting to save the children's heart unit at Glenfield Hospital have taken their fight straight to MPs.

Supporters travelled to the Houses of Parliament to protest against the decision to close the unit. They say it could cost lives

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Nearly 200 campaigners from Leicester are expected to demonstrate on Parliament Square, in Westminster, today, in a bid to save Glenfield's Children's Heart Surgery Unit.

The silent protest will feature 50 children with red balloons, representing the 50 young lives that some clinicians have predicated could be put at risk if the specialist ECMO unit is moved to Birmingham.

The demonstration has been organised to highlight the risk of closing Glenfield's Paediatric Congenital Heart Surgery Unit, to the Government.

Liz Kendall, MP for Leicester West, will meet the group, along with other MPs, this morning.

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Campaigners protesting today in Leicester were hoping for a u-turn. The new Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, has promised an initial review into the decision to relocate children's heart surgery services to Birmingham.

Fourteen-year-old Joseph Mann had two heart valve operations at Glenfield. His message to Mr Hunt was:

"Look over it properly. Look at everything. The experts, the reviews, everything. Look at it all properly."

His mother said,

"We're hoping that something new can be brought to light, and he'll reconsider."

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Children taking part in a protest over plans to move children's heart surgery services from Leicester to Birmingham have released balloons.

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Children join the protest against the closure of the children's heart surgery unit in Leicester

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