By the time you read this there may have been news on a most contentious reconfiguration in the capital – namely whether the health secretary has found a way to rubber-stamp the downgrading of Chase Farm without losing face (which he has, just about - ed.).

With this in mind, how are the other rungs of authority in the capital doing on pushing reconfiguration? As reported last week, NHS London was alerted by a study it commissioned to an uncomfortably explicit relationship between out-of-hours hospital deaths and on-site consultant availability.

Expect to hear the “520 avoidable deaths a year statistic” (subtext: fewer emergency units, better consultant cover) deployed over the coming months as justification for further accident and emergency reconfiguration.

The mere fact of the study’s existence could mean an acceptance of this has been reached at senior levels – the capital’s chief executives were told the data would eventually be published when they filled in the survey forms for the study.

The public are unconvinced. South west London has already been asking its public how they might feel about having more senior doctors in fewer A&E and maternity units. The answer is: worried.

In both specialisms, going from four to three locations was mooted. Which hospital – out of Croydon, St Helier, St George’s and Kingston – might lose these services?

Eco entrepreneur and Tory MP Zac Goldsmith said he would resign if Kingston was the unlucky one. Meanwhile Croydon is safe on its own, which leaves just the two saints – which are weighing up a merger with each other.

The trouble with picking St Helier? It’s in health minister Paul Burstow’s constituency.

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