NEW MINISTER DITCHES A&E CLOSURE PLAN - assurance ends lingering doubts over Whittington future

Published: 21 May 2010
by TOM FOOT
 

NEW Health Secretary Andrew Lansley effectively pulled the plug on plans to close vital services at Whittington Hospital yesterday (Thursday).

In a statement on the threat to shake up London’s hospitals and health services, he said: “I am calling a halt to NHS London’s reconfiguration of NHS services.”

It is his answer to the doubters who could not believe what they read in our front-page revelations three weeks ago that services at the Archway hospital were in line to be saved.

All political parties pledged to keep the accident and emergency unit open – and, as the man who finally made it into the health hot-seat, Mr Lansley has confirmed the plans will be shredded. He will be at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield – another service threatened in recent months – to make further announcements today.

His intervention confirms the people-power victory for the thousands who marched through the streets in opposition to the proposed cuts by NHS bureaucrats.

The Tribune, which helped organise the protest, revealed in the run-up to the election that whichever party was victorious the plans would be quickly halted. A video of Mr ­Lansley’s pledge is available on our website. “The Whittington Hospital A&E would be saved if a Conservative government is elected,” he said, adding that he “saw no sense” in closing it.

Mr Lansley has now warned that in future NHS chiefs, doctors and patients’ groups must agree on any proposals to alter the health service before they can be taken seriously.

He said: “As I promised before the election, I am calling a halt to NHS London’s reconfiguration of NHS services. We are committed to devolving power to the people, patients, GPs and councils who are best placed to determine the nature of their local NHS services.”

For the hospital’s A&E to be cut now, Mr Lansley would have to go back on one of his most public assurances.

Shirley Franklin, chairwoman of the Defend Whittington Hospital Coalition, said: “We led the struggle across the whole of London. We set a marker and had a great visual presence in the campaign with our branding – the balloons, badges and banners. The suffragettes were like that – it meant everyone could get involved.”

She added: “Mr Lansley has given assurances about A&E but he has not given assurances that other services are not threatened. For example, there are plans to make £5million cuts in mental health. We will not be going away.”

Campaigner Zozi Goodman added: “We are delighted and really pleased. Andrew Lansley has kept his promises and good sense has prevailed.”

The original threat to the Whittington emerged through a leaked email in November. It revealed bosses were working towards a new health map where up to 60 per cent of hospital casualty admissions would be moved into local health centres or polyclinics.

A policy document, published yesterday, revealed that patients will be directly elected onto trust boards and that the number of quangos will be “significantly cut”. The cost of administration will be reduced by a third.

The changes are likely to bring an abrupt end to the North Central London sector trust, set up last July to implement the review proposed by former health minister Lord Darzi, which has already cost the NHS more than £4million this year.

NHS London has accepted the minister’s decision to scrap Lord Darzi’s review, but has warned that improvements remain “urgently needed”.

Chief executive Ruth Carnall said: “The Secretary of State is clear that GPs must take the lead in deciding which services are provided locally. He is also clear that Londoners must have a bigger say on the shape of local services. 

“Over the next few months we will be working with GPs and other clinicians to understand how best to support them as they deliver the urgently-needed im­provements to London’s healthcare.”