“This is an issue that has a personal dimension as my father died of an aortic aneurism and I am clearly very concerned that these services could be moving from Portsmouth.
However, I also recognise that the Vascular Society is an eminent organisation and that a centre of excellence could have some merit.
Everyone now has to look closely at what options NHS England and the surgeons come up with and I will be meeting with them very soon to get a clear picture of the issues and what they propose.”