HEALTH Secretary Andy Burnham has said people should be reassured about the speed at which an investigation has been launched into heart surgery at the John Radcliffe Hospital following the deaths of four children.

Mr Burnham told Sky News: "Obviously, the hospital have done the right thing by acting quickly to suspend further surgery.

"I think the important thing to say is this is very high-risk surgery.

"It's often dealing with some very poorly children indeed.

"I think it's important to put that context out."