ANOTHER blow to prospects for the A&E ward at the borough’s only hospital has been dealt by a damning report showing the hospital trust plunging further into debt.

Hopes for the reprieve of accident and emergency services at King George Hospital in Ilford hang on an appeal by campaigners to the health secretary Andrew Lansley, after the ward’s closure was approved by NHS bosses.

But the Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospital Trust (BHRT), which runs the hospital, has been slammed by the Audit Commission for overspending by £22 million last year, bringing its total debt to £117 million.

The debt is so serious that the Audit Commission has taken the unusual step of publishing a public interest report in which it details a series of BHRT’s broken spending promises, and specifically demands that services at King George are cut.

With the latest demonstration over the proposed closure due to take place on Saturday (January 29), campaigners have voiced anger that the hospital has been left in such a vulnerable position.

Campaigner Wilson Chowdry said: “These figures are extremely shocking. If they want to save money they should looking at these top-tier managers on large salaries.

“Saving could be made but cutting back on all these layers of bureaucracy and not by cutting front-line services.”

Dennis Kamau, 17, of Navestock Crescent, Woodford Green, urged residents to join the forthcoming protest outside the hospital.

He said: “I think people from Wanstead and Woodford should get involved because otherwise their voices won't be heard as they live further away from Ilford.

“I went to King George when I broke my leg two years ago and I got a good service. Without it I would have had to go to Romford, which is much further away.”

David Wragg, director of finance at BHRT said that although the debt was increasing, it was doing so at a slower rate than recent years.

He added: “The trust has reduced its recurring deficit every year since 2007 and will do so again this year.

“We are committed to continually improving patient care coupled with accelerating our efforts to cut temporary and agency staff costs and reducing patients’ length of stay.”

The march on Saturday, January 29, starts at 12pm at Little Heath Green, near the hospital's entrance in Barley Lane.