HEALTH chiefs' claims that cuts at Southampton's paediatric heart unit will not affect patients locally have been received with disbelief by parents of Dorset child heart patients.

Angela Coxon, of Sherborne, whose late son, Craig, was treated for 18 years at the nationally-acclaimed unit, told the Daily Echo: "If a child is born with a heart problem in Dorset they will probably be referred to the Southampton Unit. The only other alternatives are London, Oxford or Bristol.

"The unit treated Craig for many years. He had many medical problems but the fact that he lived to be 18 is due in large part to the excellent care he received at Southampton."

Mrs Coxon is the founder of the Wessex Children's Heart Circle, a support group for parents of children with cardiac problems.

The circle is disturbed by Southampton University Hospitals Trust's plan to axe 35 jobs at the heart unit, including the specialist paediatric cardiac liaison nurses, as part of a £4 million budget-balancing exercise. It fears these cuts could lead to a drop in care levels and a potential withering away of child services at the unit.

Mrs Coxon says: "The liaison nurses are fantastic and are the people who help explain everything to the parents whose children come here. That may not sound like much to the lay person but their input is invaluable because it means that instead of spending all their time explaining complicated procedures to parents, the consultants can get on with the job.

"If these nurses go then the position of the two British Heart Foundation nurses there may become vulnerable and that will have an even greater impact on the unit."

She said the heart care teams often worked a 60-hour week and that they were known personally to the patients and their families. "For many people, the surgeon who has repaired and cared for your child's heart since it was born is still there for them," she said. "It's a very important relationship."

The consultants themselves - who often work on hearts no bigger than the size of a walnut - have said they believe that without their specialist liaison team, clinical services "cannot continue safely undisturbed".

Parents are especially angry that cuts to the paediatric heart team come at a time when the cardiac unit is undergoing a £57 million expansion.

Respected medical commentator Dr Phil Hammond, who exposed the Bristol heart babies scandal, has said: "The Southampton team is regarded as one of the UK's best. But alas, it doesn't make the trust any money."

He added: "Cutting the service may help balance the books in the short term but the long-term effect on staff morale and litigation could be dire."

was found, the disease had spread to her liver. Debbie's funeral takes place this Friday.

First published: August 15