BEXLEY has refused to endorse plans to press ahead with some of the health service changes contained in the A Picture of Health proposals.

Two councillors who represent the borough on the joint committee which is scrutinising the proposals said they could not back plans to continue with some of the changes proposed for Bexley.

This was because they had not had enough time to consider the possible implications.

The joint scrutiny committee involves two councillors each from the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

It has already decided to refer the proposals to Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

This was because of its unhappiness with the consultation process, lack of information and other aspects of the A Picture of Health decisions taken by the joint committee of primary care trusts for Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

However, the A Picture of Health team is anxious health changes which are not in dispute or interlinked with other hospitals should go ahead as quickly as possible.

The joint scrutiny committee has agreed changes at Lewisham Hospital, which are less interlinked with the other three hospitals concerned, should go ahead.

These include the development of community services, an urgent treatment centre, a midwife-led birthing unit, paediatric support from the new Academic Health Science Centre and adopting 8am to 8pm as the times for surgical emergency admissions to A&E.

In both Greenwich and Bromley, it is planned to press ahead with creating urgent care centres alongside A&E, midwife-led birthing units and medical assessment services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital.

But Bexley councillors David Hurt and Don Massey refused to endorse proposals for Bexley.

Cllr Hurt said there were concerns some of the plans could damage services already under threat.

As an example, he said the proposed further expansion of the existing urgent care centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, could have an adverse impact on the hospital’s A&E department.

Councillor Massey said: “You have got to put this into context of the implications of A Picture of Health for Bexley.”

Cllr Hurt said he would be calling an emergency meeting of Bexley Council’s own scrutiny committee to examine the proposals further.