More NHS changes threaten local hospitals

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Jul 2007

Lib Dems are closely scrutinising changes in services and a potential further reduction in bed numbers at the West Midd Hospital

The reforms to the London health service on the government's behalf by Professor Darzei will see a phasing out of district general hospitals and their replacement by a combination of specialist hospitals poly-clinics (clusters of GP surgeries). A dozen London hospitals are thought to be at risk of closure or, at the least, will lose A&E and surgical departments. Vincent Cable (Lib Dem MP for Twickenham) is concerned that "either the West Middlesex or, less probably, Kingston is at risk of losing core services".

The assessment of the new approach to policy coincides with continuing financial difficulty at the West Middlesex which led the Trust Board last week to consider 30 bed closures from September to save £540,000 a year. Kingston by contrast is in a surplus position at present.

Vincent Cable said:

"I recently attended a meeting with Professor (now Lord) Darzei in which he described the new vision of the NHS. It is however a surgeon's vision rather than one which accommodates the messy reality of patients and relatives wanting to be close to a local hospital rather than having to make long and complex journeys for treatment.

"I can see that if the alternative of strong GP and community services were in place his vision could represent a big step forward. But what we see is cash strapped hospitals like the West Middlesex being cut back for short term reasons rather than as part of a strategy for NHS improvement.

"I have written to the West Middlesex to ask for classification of the very worrying report from the Trust Board meeting."