UNUSUALLY high death rates at three children’s heart centres could affect the outcome of an inquiry that will settle the fate of children’s cardiac surgery in Oxford.

Parents and staff in Oxford will now have to wait until at least the spring to learn whether paediatric cardiac surgery can ever be resumed at Oxford.

The delay was announced after a national inquiry into 11 specialist children’s units revealed it needed to analyse “unexpectedly high” mortality figures in London, Leeds and Leicester.

Children’s heart operations are still suspended at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital following a separate inquiry into the deaths of four children.

But some families are calling for the resumption of children’s heart surgery in Oxford, claiming the issues and figures behind the suspension of services need to be viewed in a new light.

The review, set up by the Government to decide which of the country’s paediatric heart surgery centres should shut and which become regional centres of excellence, was set to submit recommendations next month.

But it says it is unable to complete its report until early 2011 because it needs time to examine mortality rates at three other paediatric heart units. There will then be a consultation period.

Maria Crocker, a campaigner for children’s heart surgery services in Oxford, said: “I would prefer to get the recommendations of the inquiry sooner rather than later. But I’m pleased they are looking carefully at other centres with high mortality rates.”

Mrs Crocker, of Berinsfield, who said the Oxford unit saved her eight-year-old son David’s life, added: “They should now reconsider whether services at Oxford should remain shut.”

Dr Martin Ashton Key, medical adviser to the inquiry, said there were no “immediate safety concerns” at any centres currently operating but they would conduct reviews of case loads at Leeds General Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital in Leicester and Evelina Children’s Hospital in London.

Sir Jonathan Michael, chief executive of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We welcome the decision to look more closely at the statistical analysis of mortality figures, although the delay it causes is unfortunate.

“The ORH has acknowledged that it would not be right to restart children’s heart surgery with one surgeon and until the review is completed, we are not in a position to make any decisions about taking on a new children’s heart surgeon.”