SIR BRUCE KEOGH AND THE LEEDS CHILDREN'S HEART UNIT

That this House questions the judgement and actions of NHS Medical Director, Sir Bruce Keogh, who arrived at Leeds General Infirmary on 28 March 2013 at 8 am forcing an immediate suspension of children's heart surgery and threatening dismissals; notes that Sir Bruce was not honest about his presentation of events, suggesting the decision was willingly taken by Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust when it saw the data when, in reality, it did not, nor did it recognise or accept the figures presented to it knowing it did not accurately reflect the mortality levels at the unit; further notes that other rumblings used to justify the decision included information from the now discredited Sir Roger Boyle and others involved in the Safe and Sustainable Review; further notes that taking a decision to suspend surgery in this fashion is unprecedented and was not taken at other units where serious safety issues were highlighted in the last year; believes the reasons Sir Bruce gave for suspension at Leeds do not justify the decision he took or the way he took it, without verifying the validity of the data or questioning the motivation of those making negative reports; further notes that the suspension of a safe unit puts children at greater risk, so acting in this way when the evidence does not justify it is a serious matter; further questions whether such conduct and judgement are consistent with the authority needed in his role; and wishes to know what role Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of English National Health, played.