Plans to close a hospital’s emergency and maternity services came a step closer last night after a joint committee of primary care trusts approved the proposals.

King George Hospital in Ilford, east London, is set to lose the functions in a reconfiguration planned by consultative body Health for North East London (HNEL).

Despite PCT approval, the decision could still be challenged by local authority health overview and scrutiny panels and referred to the Independent Reconfigutration Panel.

The consultation process itself for the changes at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust was previously referred to the IRP, but cleared to proceed by health secretary Andrew Lansley in June, having been judged to have passed his “four tests” for reconfiguration set out after the election.

HNEL said the consultation has been led by staff at Barking and Dagenham, City and Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest PCTs and four other east London hospital trusts.

The plans had been opposed by two local MPs.

King George Hospital will continue to provide urgent care for Ilford and the local community with a 24/7 care centre and HNEL said it will also be developed into a centre for planned care, including knee and hip surgery.

North East London Foundation Trust, which is set to take over the running of the three outer north east London PCT provider arms surrounding the trust, told HSJ last month its medium-term strategy was to acquire some hospital capacity.

The news follows the announcement of a similar approval in south east London by the board of NHS London yesterday.

An HSJ investigation last month showed none of the halted reconfigurations had so far failed the four tests.

King George Hospital is the 27th to be approved, with eight still awaiting decision. The remaining decision in London is around services at Chase Farm Hospital.

Strategic health authorities had a deadline of October 31 for assessing whether schemes met the four tests.

 

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