THE trust which runs Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, is to press a head with its timetable for stripping the Sidcup hospital of its emergency services.

This is despite promises made by Tories before the general election that services would remain in Sidcup if it was what GPs and local people wanted.

News Shopper understands members of the South London Healthcare Trust met with its service commissioners, such as primary care trusts, last week who backed the continuation of changes being made under the A Picture of Health (APOH) programme.

The formal consultation procedure also began last week at Queen Mary’s, Princess Royal and Queen Elizabeth hospitals which form the trust, on staff redundancies arising from the changes and financial cutbacks.Trust chief executive Dr Chris Streather has told staff the changes will continue throughout the summer, with A&E at Queen Mary’s due to close permanently in September.

Dr Streather told them: “The clinical case for change is overwhelming and in the course of the next months we will be making this case to patients and GPs locally with extra determination.”

Dr Streather had a private meeting with Old Bexley and Sidcup MP James Brokenshire last Friday to discuss the future of the APOH changes.

Mr Brokenshire has promised the changes will be halted while GPs and the public are asked their views.

He said while at the meeting the trust sought to highlight the benefits of the changes planned at Queen Mary’s, he had pointed out they would reduce the availability of services for people in Bexley.

Afterwards, Mr Brokenshire said: “Despite what was a helpful meeting, I remain of the view that the APOH plans do not satisfy the new criteria and that significant changes need to be made in the best interests of Bexley residents and to secure the future of Queen Mary’s Hospital.

He added: ”We both agreed that clarification was required on how the new national assessment standards should be applied.

“I will be writing to the Department of Health to follow up on a number of points arising from the meeting asking that appropriate directions be given to the trust.”

He said: ““What is clear is the trust will need to demonstrate it is following the requirements set out by the chief executive of the NHS in England.

A spokesman for the trust said: “ "The changes to A&E at Queen Mary’s Hospital are part of a larger programme to improve the quality and safety of patient care for people in Sidcup and neighbouring boroughs of Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich.

“These proposals were subject to a large-scale public consultation, and reviewed by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP), which was led by a doctor.”

He added: "It was a helpful and constructive meeting and there was agreement that GPs and the public have a greater say in the shape of their local health services, in line with the criteria set out by the Secretary of State.”