The families of children awaiting cardiac surgery are being contacted and we will be placing those patients who need to be seen urgently with other hospitals. We are reviewing each of these patients to ensure that they are not put at risk by any delay in their treatment.

Paediatric cardiac surgery outcomes are nationally validated and the data is published. Oxford has been within normal outcome ranges. This is one of the reasons why we felt it was necessary to take a close look at our service to ensure we continue to provide a high quality safe service for our children. Any hospital might, at some time, have a run of deaths in a service that provides treatment for patients who are very unwell. However, it is right that we take a pause while we look in to the individual cases, to see if there is anything to learn from them.