Hospital Futures Under Review

11.38.09am GMT Mon 8th Feb 2010

Following reports that Kingston Hospital is under threat, Vincent Cable, MP, raised the future of the hospital with local health bosses at a meeting last week in Teddington:

"the future of the hospital is being reviewed alongside other SW London hospitals. No decisions have been made but my colleagues Susan Kramer and Ed Davey are right to warn of potential problems for Kingston".

"Around one third of my constituents regularly use the hospital because it is much closer to the Hamptons and Teddington than the West Middlesex. It has recently seen major new investment in A and E and in maternity, and both wards are heavily used. The public would not understand why this investment may now be considered surplus to requirements in SW London."

"We shouldn't prejudge the outcome of the internal NHS review but it is essential that the process is transparent with full disclosure of the assumptions and projections on which decisions are made".