Dobson: "Keeping our election promises"

Hospital Closures on Hold

The Health Secretary, Frank Dobson, told the Commons an independent panel of academics would look again at the situation and report back within four months. The review will advise in particular on the future of St Bartholomew's Hospital.

"Londoners were particularly concerned about the programme of hospital closures, which had almost halved the number of acute beds, and also about the availability of accident and emergency and ambulance services and the lack of adequate primary care," said Mr Dobson.

Labour had promised a moratorium on hospital closures in its election manifesto.

"We are conducting a comprehensive spending review of every aspect of the activities of the NHS. I can make no promises in advance of the outcome of that review," he said.

"But I recognise that over the years there have been very significant pressures on London which have resulted from the policies of succeeding governments over a long period of time," continued Mr Dobson.

The Tory former Health Secretary, Stephen Dorrell, denounced the announcement as the fulfillment of a "cheap election gimmick."

Mr Dorrell said: "This review fools absolutely no one. It will delay the day until the autumn that you will have to make real decisions about the future shape of London's health services."