Hospitals in our network
Paediatric cardiology and adult congenital heart disease (CHD) services in the North West, North Wales, and the Isle of Man are delivered through a network model. This approach brings together three levels of services working in partnership to provide high-quality, consistent care for people of all ages. To support this model and ensure the best possible care, NHS England established a set of standards for CHD services in 2016. The three levels of care in the network are:
- Level 1: Specialist ACHD or Children’s Surgical Centre’s
- Level 2: Specialist ACHD or Children’s Cardiology Centre’s
- Level 3: Local ACHD or Children’s Cardiology Centre’s
ACHD, Paediatric and foetal services are working together across the network to ensure that the population we serve is provided with high quality, safe, appropriate and timely care.
Levels of care explained
Networks help local services to work closely with specialist centres, to ensure that patients receive the care they need in a setting with the right skills and facilities, as close to home as possible.
In the North West we have two Specialist Surgical Centres. Children with heart problems are cared for at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) are cared for at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. This is where all congenital heart surgery and most procedures will be undertaken. These centres provide specialised and complex treatment.
In the North West we have two Specialist Cardiology Centres. Children with heart problems are cared for at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and adults with CHD are cared for at Manchester Royal Infirmary. They provide a wide range of outpatient appointments and can organise many heart tests locally. However Heart surgery and most procedures will be carried out in the level one centres in Liverpool.
Local Cardiology Centres provide outpatient services for ongoing monitoring and care. Children’s Cardiology Centres are led by paediatricians with expertise in cardiology (PEC) alongside specialist heart doctors from the Specialist Surgical Centre. Specialist ACHD Doctors from the level 1 centres in Liverpool provide outreach clinics for adult patients in various locations throughout the region. This will mean that more care can be given locally, so patients and their families will have less need to travel long distances for their ongoing monitoring and care.
Our Key Partners
In addition to these key partners, we also collaborate with a network of Level 3 Local ACHD Centres and Children’s Cardiology Centres throughout the region, ensuring accessible care for all patients closer to home. We also provide a comprehensive cardiac maternity service at The Liverpool Womens Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.
Geography
The map shows the hospitals within the network and the level of service they provide. Click on the hospital name to see more information about the hospital.