Media Centre - Press Releases

Seeking views on proposed changes to Cheshire and Merseyside Vascular Services

27th January 2012

Vascular services are changing nationally and patients and the public in Liverpool will be able to give their views on proposed changes to the way that specialist vascular services are provided across Cheshire and Merseyside.

The proposals, which involve the transfer of the most specialist vascular surgery aim to save more lives and improve the quality of life for patients following treatment.  

These services are for people with disorders of the arteries and veins, including narrowing of arteries, blocked vessels and varicose veins, (but not diseases of the heart and vessels in the chest).

Currently, a number of local hospitals carry out vascular surgery, but the most complex surgery (about 20% of the current procedures) should be carried out in specialist units to ensure that surgeons are able to develop the highest skills. This means that we need to concentrate the specialist surgery in fewer centres – something widely agreed on amongst the clinicians across the region.

Mr John Brennan, Consultant Vascular Surgeon and Clinical Director of the Vascular Unit at Royal Liverpool Hospital said: “We believe that the change in the way we provide vascular services will save more lives and improve the quality of life after treatment. 

Earlier engagement with the public, patients and clinicians overwhelmingly supported the approach to concentrate the specialist surgery in order to improve patient safety - even if this meant that specialist surgery was not carried out at their local hospital.”

The Clinical Commissioning Groups, made up of GPs who commission services for their patients, have recommended that there should be two specialist arterial centres for Cheshire and Merseyside. It is proposed that one is at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, working with hospitals north of the Mersey, and one at the Countess of Chester Hospital, working with hospitals south of the Mersey.

A series of public events will be held across Cheshire and Merseyside to ensure that Liverpool patients have a voice and can debate the proposals fully.

If you would like to attend please email kelly.jones@knowsley.nhs.uk  or call 0151 244 3457. 

There is also a dedicated website - www.vascularconsultation.org.uk -where people can find all the information as well as submit their views.