HEALTH bosses have reiterated their argument that healthcare in London needs to change, after the new health secretary said that plans to close A&E wards – including Redbridge's only emergency department – would be shelved.

Plans first announced last year by NHS London suggested closing the A&E at King George Hospital in Ilford, which is the only one in the entire borough, and expanding services at nearby Queen's Hospital in Romford and Whipps Cross in Leytonstone.

But in an interview with BBC London, Conservative secretary of state for health Andrew Lansley MP said plans to shut A&E centres would be scrapped, along with some other cost-cutting measures proposed by the previous Labour government.

The plans were met with widespread criticism, and the report based on a 16-week public consultation which ended in March has yet to be published.

In response to Mr Lansley's claims, Ruth Carnall, chief executive of NHS London, said: “Lord Darzi’s Healthcare for London review showed that the current approach to delivering care in the capital wouldn’t meet the needs of Londoners. Today’s announcement says we must find a new way of meeting these same challenges.

“The Secretary of State is clear that GPs must take the lead in deciding which services are provided locally. He is also clear that Londoners must have a bigger say on the shape of local services and be able to make informed choices on where they go to receive care.

“To support this, we will make available to the public as much information as possible on the quality of our services and provide substantial clinical evidence for any proposed changes. We will also build on the extensive clinical leadership we have developed across London in the past two years. There are many doctors, nurses and other NHS staff who are more than ready and willing to take on this new challenge.

“NHS London remains committed to improving the quality of care we provide for everyone who uses the NHS in the capital. Over the next few months we will be working with GPs and other clinicians to understand how best to support them as they deliver the urgently needed improvements to London’s healthcare.”

What are your views on plans to shut the A&E at King George? Do you think the new coalition government in Westminster will lead to a better future for healthcare in Redbridge?

Contact reporter James Ranger on 07795 316 211 or email jranger@london.newsquest.co.uk.