'A fight on their hands' - MPs call meeting over Kingston Hospital threat (From Surrey Comet)

'A fight on their hands' - MPs call meeting over Kingston Hospital threat

6:47pm Tuesday 23rd March 2010 in Kingston Hospital under threat By David Lindsell

This article appeared in the Surrey Comet on March 19, 2010

Plans which MPs say could see Kingston Hospital lose its accident and emergency and maternity units will be discussed at a public meeting called by Kingston’s two Liberal Democrat MPs on Monday evening.

A Save Kingston Hospital petition signed by more than 15,000 names was handed into Downing Street on Wednesday, demanding public disclosure of "secretive" plans.

MPs have been told the timeline for formal public consultation has been brought forward with a shortlist for closures or changes to be discussed in autumn of this year through to January 2010 - sooner than they had previously expected.

According to the pages of a leaked document, out of 18 options decided on before Christmas by clinicians carrying out a review, 16 involved the loss of a major service at Kingston, but NHS London insist nothing has been decided.

Edward Davey, Kingston and Surbiton MP, was joined by Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, Susan Kramer, deputy leader Vince Cable and Shas Sheehan, Lib Dem prospective parliamentary candidate for Wimbledon, as he handed in the petition.

He said: "This helps us make it crystal clear to Labour ministers and NHS London what local people think of the threat to Kingston Hospital.

"They must now know they have got a fight on their hands, if Kingston's A&E and maternity end up on their final shortlist for closure this October."

But Ruth Carnall, chief executive of NHS London, said the Save Kingston Hospital campaign was "spurious" and driven by the "political climate" before the General Election.

She said: "There’s a whole series of completely spurious things put around about the future of Kingston Hospital for reasons I understand."

Conservatives accused Mr Davey and Mrs Kramer for scaremongering and pointed to comments from the chairman of Kingston Hospital that the downgrading of A+E and maternity would be "inconceivable" although he later said he denied accusing them of making up the threat saying: "irrational things happen."

But Kingston’s Unison representative said the MPs were right to go public with their concerns.

The public meeting will take place at 7.30pm at the Hawker Centre, Lower Ham Road, Kingston on Monday, March 22.

Kingston Hospital will hold its own board meeting on Wednesday, March 31, at 11am, in the surgical centre.