An independent panel is likely to review plans to stop children's heart surgery at Leeds General Infirmary following another review that concluded that the surgeries should be stopped so that health care should be provided to fewer, larger sites.

MP’s had asked the ministers to re-examine the decision. It is believed that the Health Minister Simon Burns said Health Secretary Andrew Lansley is likely to refer the concerns expressed by the MPs to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel.

The independent panel will advice the ministers if the plan to stop the children's heart surgery at Leeds should be implemented or dropped. If the surgeries are stopped then health unit, people from Yorkshire and the Humber region will have to travel to Newcastle or Liverpool.

Local authorities have made a formal presentation to Mr Lansley about the concerns of the poeple from the area. Jason McCartney, Conservative MP for Colne Valley, said that it is a flawed assessment to believe that all the patients will automatically shift to Newcastle.

The Yorkshire and Humber local government group have made the formal representation to Mr Lansley about the concerns.