CAMPAIGNERS trying to save a vital heart unit from closing claim Leeds could never have been selected as one of the units to survive, following the final day of a review at the High Court in London.
Although a ruling on the matter has yet to be made, Sharon Cheng, of the Grimsby Telegraph-backed Save Our Surgery (SOS) campaign - which called for the judicial review to be heard - said she believed the evidence heard "underlined" the charity's belief the consultation was conducted "with one outcome in mind, keeping the Newcastle children's surgery unit open in order to protect a transplant service."
Speaking following evidence being heard from The Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT), who made the decision to close the Leeds unit, Sharon said: "From their comments in court, the consultation appears to have been a rubber stamping exercise, with clinicians, MPs and patients in this region fooled into feeling they had influence."
However, Sir Neil McKay CB, chairman of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, said: "Everyone agrees that the NHS should expand access to local care and pool surgical expertise in fewer larger centres and we outlined in considerable detail our defence of the process in the High Court.
"We believe the consultation was transparent, fair and lawful and that the 77,000 respondents to consultation were given detailed information needed to make an intelligent response to the consultation.
"The hearing has now finished and we await the court's judgment, expected by March 7."
Keep checking your Grimsby Telegraph for further updates.