Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will reverse the decision made in 2011 to close King George Hospital Accident and Emergency Department.

These proposals, which are now published in North East London’s Sustainability and Transformation Plan, were a matter for the local NHS and were subject to a full public consultation under the Health for North East London programme.

Any significant changes have to meet the four reconfiguration tests which require the plan to demonstrate strong public and patient engagement, a clear clinical evidence base, support for patient choice and support from commissioners.

The North East London Sustainability and Transformation Plan programme board is clear that the decision has been made and that it is now for the Trust and clinical commissioning groups to implement. The local National Health Service has emphasised that no changes will happen until it is satisfied that all the necessary resources are in place and that the quality of services at Queen’s Accident and Emergency has improved.

This case was reviewed by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel in 2011 and the Secretary of State for Health accepted their advice.