The total amount of time patients waited in A&E increased by over fifty minutes last year in the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

Figures obtained from the Department of Health have shown that the time patients spent from entering A&E through to when they left the department increased throughout 2014. 

The time it took from admission through to being discharged[i] increased from 2 hours and 31 minutes to 3 hours 26 minutes from the first quarter of 2014 through to the last quarter[ii]. The time it took to have an initial assessment also rose throughout the year.

This comes after the publication of “Our Healthier South-East London” an issues paper on the future of local NHS Services was published. Wording of the report has raised concerns that future attempts at re-organising the NHS in South East London could see services closed at Lewisham Hospital.

Vicky Foxcroft, Member of Parliament for Lewisham Deptford, asked Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt during Health Questions on Tuesday 7^th July whether he could guarantee the future of services at Lewisham Hospital.

Vicky asked the Secretary of State: “Almost two years ago Lewisham took the Secretary of State and the previous Government to court over the closure of the A&E and maternity services at Lewisham Hospital and we won. In light of the recently released report ‘Our Healthier South-East London’ can the Secretary of State promise me that any further shake up of NHS services in South-East London will not involve the closure of any services at Lewisham Hospital?” 

Mr Hunt replied: “What I can assure her is that we inherited deep seated problems in the old south London healthcare trust, we have dealt with those problems, there are more doctors and more nurses looking after her constituents and care is getting better in light of the difficult decisions we have taken.”

Vicky said after the debate; “Although this is just a pre-consultation paper we cannot be complacent about the future of our local health services. Any changes or plans for local health provision have to come with a cast iron guarantee that our A&E and maternity units will remain open.

 “We must be very vigilant in the coming months. Even though this is not a direct threat to our A&E, it will remind many Lewisham Residents of our recent fight against the Government and it makes me fearful about what the future may hold.

“I can assure the people of Lewisham I will be doing all in my power to fight against any large reorganisation to our health service in South East London, protecting all our local health services and the fantastic and vital service they provide.”