The hybrid theatre which allows open heart and keyhole surgery on the same child at the same time and boosts the child's chance of survival by reducing recovery time, is a result of the fund-raising efforts by the people of the West Midlands and beyond and additional investment from commissioners for extra intensive care beds to support these children following their surgery.
Assistant Director of Specialised Children's Services, Gail Fortes-Mayer says: "The Midlands and East Specialised Commissioning Group have been working with the Children's Hospital to ensure that children from the West Midlands and beyond receive a full range of specialist surgical services, making the best use of technology and the hospital's highly skilled staff."
"Significant Investment which has resulted in additional intensive care beds to support children who require these specialist heart surgery services, plus the fundraising efforts of local people, has culminated in the introduction of this 'hybrid' theatre and a catheterization laboratory, where keyhole cardiac surgery can also be carried out.
The West Midlands Office of the Midlands and East Specialised Commissioning Group, commissions specialised services on behalf of the 17 West Midlands Primary Care Trusts.
The Midlands and East Specialised Commissioning Group (M&ESCG) is formed of East Midlands SCG, East of England SCG and West Midlands SCG.
