Plans for a workable solution by June 2012 have been set out by NHS England chair Sir Malcolm Grant in a letter to the Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt.

The plans aim to ensure that future generations have the best possible quality of care, better outcomes, a positive patient experience, and consistently high levels of safety.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

We want to listen to the views of patients and clinicians to hear what they think will provide the safest and highest standard of services for patients and their families.

I look forward to receiving further updates on this work from NHS England, and reaching a conclusion in the best interests of patients and families across the country.

NHS England is leading a rethink of plans to improve children’s heart surgery following an independent report on a review that assessed the quality of care given to children born with a serious heart condition.

Read the NHS England news story.