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Consultant paediatric anaesthetist Dr Mark Baxendale has been suspended after a five-month-old boy died during an operation to correct a cleft lip and pallet.

An investigation is being carried out to establish if the anaesthetist was at fault.

A team appointed by the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Trust is now reviewing theatre practices at Booth Hall and the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury.

The trust's chief executive Stuart Smalley assured patients and their families there was no concern about safety and explained the review is aimed at tightening up procedure.

He said: "This is to determine whether the systems are clinically robust and we will look at how any recommendations can be implemented."

Last year the trust altered its emergency surgery system. Under the new system emergency theatres are available only part of the week at each of the two hospital sites.

Children rushed to hospital for emergency treatment may be ferried to either one of the two sites depending on what day it is.

The system was introduced because the number of cases was too few and the variety too limited to give casualty teams sufficient experience and justify running two paediatric A and E units full time.