UNCERTAINTY continues to hang over the future of Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, and its emergency services.

Tory Parliamentary candidates in the area announced before the general election the now Health Secretary Andrew Lansley had pledged, if GPs and the public wanted to keep services at the Sidcup hospital, they would remain there.

The Tories promised an immediate freeze on the closure of A&E at Queen Mary’s due, in September, and to halt the A Picture of Health (APOH) plans to take away maternity and in-patient paediatrics.

In a speech last Friday Mr Lansley announced the scrapping of NHS London’s strategic health plan, which includes closure of several A&E departments across London, and promised to give GPs a bigger say in commissioning hospital services.

South London Healthcare Trust says the changes at Queen Mary’s and the two other hospitals which make up the trust - Princess Royal in Farnborough and Queen Elizabeth in Woolwich - were never part of the strategic plan.

The APOH proposals were a separate process which did involve a public consultation, although many people regarded APOH as flawed and undemocratic.

James Brokenshire, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, who has spearheaded the push to keep services at Sidcup, said he welcomed Mr Lansley’s announcement.

He said: "I am seeking his assurance this approach will be applied to Queen Mary's, notwithstanding the current implementation of the APOH plans.”

Mr Brokenshire added: "The hospital trust may want to believe that there will be no change to their plans.

“This sounds like wishful thinking on their part and why I am pressing the Department of Health on the implementation of the new policy."

Mr Brokenshire will meet Dr Chris Streather, the trust’s chief executive, tomorrow (May 28).