Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup

In recent weeks I have become increasingly disturbed by news emerging from Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. The sudden withdrawal of night-time casualty services and the closure of beds for elderly rehabilitation have raised serious questions about the future of QMH and healthcare in this area. The closure of the A&E Department from 8pm to 8am on the stated grounds of clinical safety has been billed as ‘temporary'. But there is no indication that South London Healthcare NHS Trust which runs the hospital has any intention to recruit the additional consultants needed to address the concerns which they themselves identified.

Despite promises to make Queen Mary's a centre for planned surgery, there is little doubt that local NHS finances remain under serious strain. South London Healthcare NHS Trust has a significant deficit and with two cash hungry PFI funded hospitals to run at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Greenwich and the Princess Royal University Hospital in Bromley, the risk remains that QMH will simply get squeezed out by the other two. This is despite outstanding questions on the ability of the other two hospitals to cope with demand.

The appalling ‘A Picture of Health' plans which intend to strip Queen Mary's of A&E, maternity and other services - and which I strongly oppose - suggested some future for the hospital. Even these scaled back proposals now have a question mark hanging over them. There have been some discussions about the creation of a ‘health campus' on the Queen Mary's site as part of a joint project with Bexley Care Trust. However, it is unclear that these alternative plans are proceeding with any sense of urgency. I am simply left with the strong impression that QMH is being allowed to ‘wither on the vine'.

I have written to the Chief Executives of both South London Healthcare NHS Trust and Bexley Care Trust to confirm their plans for Queen Mary's and the steps they are taking to secure the future of the hospital. But we need your help. Please sign our petition and show your support for the future of QMH. If you can get your friends, family and neighbours to do so too, even better. It is only through campaigning together that we can make the difference on the future of healthcare in Bexley.