Baby, one month old, airlifted from Bristol hospital to Rome for life-saving surgery
A one-month-old baby boy has been airlifted from a Bristol hospital to Italy to undergo life-saving surgery.
The child suffers from a congenital heart condition and doctors told his parents that crucial treatment was not available in this country, The Times reported.
He was collected from Bristol Royal Hospital for Children to be transported to Rome via a military cargo plane.
It has been said that the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni personally intervened so the child could travel.
When medics saw plans for the transfer and treatment, hospital staff agreed to allow the boy to be moved.
A lawyer representing the youngster’s family thanked "all those who worked hard to transfer him", on social media platform X.
"A big thank you from the family to all those who worked hard to transfer the little [boy], less than a month old, from the United Kingdom to Rome," said Simone Pillon.
"Italians are like that: they love life," he added.
A University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "We worked with Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital to support the safe transfer of a newborn patient to Rome.
"Due to patient confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to go into specific details regarding a patient’s care."
The father also thanked the British medical team for authorising and supporting them through the process.
The boy was transferred to the Bambino Gesu hospital, which the Vatican controls.
The same hospital offered to treat a British baby girl with a rare mitochondrial disease last year.