An incredible 150,000 people have signed up to save a children’s heart surgery unit with the Southern Daily Echo’s Have A Heart campaign.
Families of heart patients, businesses, hospital staff, politicians and schools have all come together to send a message to health bosses who are planning to close the world class heart unit.
The landmark number comes after two public meetings attended by hundreds and a big rally at Southampton’s Guildhall Square. Hospital bosses have been left shocked by the amount of support that there has been for the unit.
The chief executive of Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, Mark Hackett, said: “To reach 150,000 signatures truly is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates we as a group – staff, patients, families and members of the public – will not stand for anything less than the best quality in our NHS. The Echo’s Have a Heart petition and the Save Our Heart Unit campaign have introduced a sense of unity and determination across whole communities and that is something we should all be proud of.”
The unit is ranked the second best heart unit in the country, but it is still at risk as health chiefs need to reduce the number of paediatric heart units from 11 to 6 or 7.
If the centre closes, then families would have to travel to London or Bristol for treatment, at units that do not reach the same standard of the Southampton unit.
Consultant paediatric cardiologist, Dr James Gnanapragasam, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and one we hope will push on many more of the 150,000 supporters to complete a consultation questionnaire as we head towards the end of the consultation period.”