"NHS in London on brink of financial collapse", report claims (From Ealing Times)

"NHS in London on brink of financial collapse", report claims

The NHS in London is on the brink of financial and organisational crisis, according to a report commissioned by the British Medical Association (BMA).

"NHS in London on brink of financial collapse", report claims

The futures of Kingston Hospital, Mayday in Croydon, Epsom and St Helier Hospitals and St George’s in Tooting were called into question last week after it was claimed a NHS report into south-west London had decided only three of the four hospitals should have an accident and emergency or maternity unit.

The BMA report, entitled London’s NHS on the Brink, is one of the pieces of evidence which Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey believes backs up claims Kingston’s A&E and maternity are being seriously looked at for closure or downgrading.

The BMA report criticised NHS London’s refusal to publish a McKinsey report on the finances of the hospitals.

It said: “This ensures that Londoners, and other analysts, have no opportunity to scrutinise McKinsey’s methods, evidence or findings – all of which must be open to question.”

It also said this would mean “a controversial plan is released like a bombshell to an unsuspecting public, and elected political leaders and campaigners have to begin a rearguard action to defend popular and busy local services”.

The author of the report, John Lister, a former journalist who works for London Health Emergency, said: “It is a democratic scandal people in London are being kept in the dark. These discussions are clearly going on.

“You might not like the proposals in north-east London but you can read about them on a website.

“But in south London people are being kept in the dark and being given tendentious accounts.

“The worst of all worlds would be to push these through to save the NHS money and they don’t save any money.”

He claimed, following NHS London guidelines, Kingston Hospital and Mayday were at risk after NHS London described south-west London as having one “major acute trust”, three local hospitals and one specialist hospital. The report said Kingston, Epsom and St Helier and Mayday "may feel threatened by this low-key assessment of their role".

The use of the phrase “local hospital” has sparked fears Kingston would be at risk of being turned into a community type hospital like nearby Queen Mary’s Roehampton.

Healthcare for South West London has denied there are any proposals to downgrade services but refused to rule out the prospect on the basis they cannot prejudge what clinicians will say.

The BMA report concludes hospitals will have to juggle a series of pressures including staff shortages and a reduction in the use of hospitals as more treatment of patients is offered in the community.

Click the link below to view the full report

BMA-on-the-brink.pdf