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Lives could be put at risk if a specialist blood treatment unit at a Leicestershire hospital is moved, senior medics have warned.
Glenfield is the NHS's main ECMO unit, which uses equipment to oxygenate blood outside the body.
The treatment is crucial for seriously ill patients, including those with seasonal and H1N1 Swine Flu viruses.
A government review could decide the unit is moved - dispersing vital experience, experts claim.
The Department of Health is looking to concentrate England's child cardiac services into fewer, better units.
If affected, Glenfield's ECMO unit would also be redeployed.
Its director Richard Firmin said his team was stretched during the swine flu outbreak.
Not only were all beds filled but its nurses were co-ordinating treatment nationally.
"We ended up receiving 20 and 30 referrals a day, which we triaged between the various hospitals which were doing ECMO.
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Glenfield is the NHS's main ECMO unit, which uses equipment to oxygenate blood outside the body.
The treatment is crucial for seriously ill patients, including those with seasonal and H1N1 Swine Flu viruses.
A government review could decide the unit is moved - dispersing vital experience, experts claim.
The Department of Health is looking to concentrate England's child cardiac services into fewer, better units.
If affected, Glenfield's ECMO unit would also be redeployed.
Its director Richard Firmin said his team was stretched during the swine flu outbreak.
Not only were all beds filled but its nurses were co-ordinating treatment nationally.
"We ended up receiving 20 and 30 referrals a day, which we triaged between the various hospitals which were doing ECMO.
..
