Mike Gapes MP MP Cllr Jas Athwal

19th June 2017

The Rt. Hon Jeremy Hunt MP Secretary State for Health Department of Health Richmond House 79 Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2NS

Dear Secretary of State

OPEN LETTER RE: REVERSE DECISION TO CLOSE KGH A&E

We are writing to request that you reverse the decision to close the A&E at King George’s Hospital (part of the Barking, Havering & Redbridge Hospitals Trust). During the General Election campaign, you visited our Borough and you stated that A&E would not close for the ‘foreseeable future’.

The phrase ‘foreseeable future’ has left ambiguity and uncertainty over our already challenged health economy. Our STP has a Board dedicated to oversee the closure, management consultants have been appointed for the process and our Health Scrutiny Committee has a special panel looking at the issue.

Precious resources, in terms of money and management capacity, are being expended on an issue which it would appear you have already made a decision.

Further the uncertainty makes planning for the future of health services much more difficult. It also makes recruitment at BHRUT more challenging (already an issue for outer London areas) placing patient care at risk.

We therefore ask you to finally settle this matter and formally state that the decision to close King George Hospital A&E has been reversed.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Mike Gapes MP Wes Streeting MP Cllr Jas Athwal Member for South Member for Ilford North Leader of the Council

Redbridge Labour Party 6 Mildmay Road, IG1 IDT