---

Health Care in London

I welcome this opportunity to debate health care in London, primarily because there has been a lack of transparency and debate about alleged NHS London plans for my local hospital, Ealing hospital, and for other hospital trusts across London. Leaked reports from NHS London have caused great concern among my constituents about the future of Ealing hospital and its A and E, maternity, children's and acute services. The local paper, the Ealing Gazette, has begun a campaign, along with the local community, to save our services at Ealing hospital, and I have pledged my support for that campaign. Since the NHS London report came to light, I have had meetings with Ealing hospital's chief executive, with representatives of Ealing PCT, and with consultants from the hospital. I have also had discussions and correspondence with NHS London and with the Secretary of State for Health. I should like to quote from the NHS integrated service plan for 2009 to 2014, which was drawn up by the north-west London commissioning partnership at the behest of NHS London. The following paragraph relates to the plans for Ealing hospital:""The Sector is actively promoting and supporting the concept of the Integrated Care Organisation, bringing the PCT provider services of NHS Ealing and NHS Harrow together with Ealing Hospital Trust. All three Boards support this proposal. The provider services of NHS Brent are likely to join this organisation. This will promote an innovative locally based model of community provision. All involved acknowledge that this will, over time, reduce the level of acute services on the Ealing site and they will be transferred or tendered to other acute provider management ""to ensure their clinical and financial viability. This acute activity change will enhance the viability of the surrounding acute hospitals."" I agree with Ealing's consultants that any reduction in the level of acute services at Ealing hospital will inevitably lead to the closure of the A and E department at Ealing, and the loss of acute services at Ealing can only mean that it will no longer be a meaningful local acute hospital. I agree with the British Medical Association's London regional council when it says that London's doctors and patients are being kept in the dark about NHS London's proposals. I also agree with its statement that""Lord Darzi pledged that all changes would benefit patients, be locally led and that existing services will not be withdrawn until new and better services are available to patients so they can see the difference.""