Children from south Wales needing heart surgery will be operated on at Bristol, if recommendations made by Wales's Specialised Health Services Commission are implemented.

They are proposing a partnership between the children's heart unit at the University Hospital in Cardiff and surgeons at the Children's Hospital in Bristol.

There have been concerns about the future of the children's heart unit at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, since the paediatric heart surgeon left 18 months ago.

The children's heart unit in Cardiff was set up in the early 90s.

At the time it was felt that Welsh children with congenital heart defects should be treated in Wales.

But in the autumn of 1998, the unit's only surgeon - Francesco Musemeci - returned to his native Italy and attempts to recruit a replacement have failed.

Different options

Since then the future of the unit has been uncertain.

In January last year, the Royal College of Surgeons said the unit was not viable and refused to endorse the appointment of a single-handed surgeon.

Since the summer the Commission has been looking at different options, including partnerships between the University Hospital and Children's Hospitals in Birmingham and Bristol.

Now the favoured option has been chosen but there will be further consultation with parents before a final decision is made.