THE DECISION of the SE London Health Commission to postpone until 1999 plans for the closure of Guy's Hospital reduces Virginia Bottomley's hospital closure plans to total chaos.
In October 1992 the Tory-appointed Tomlinson Report - set up to recommend a 'hit list' of closures to match London's declining health budget - mapped out plans for the closure within two years of ten key hospitals in London, including four teaching hospitals, Charing Cross, the Middlesex, Bart's and Guy's or St Thomas's.
Tomlinson argued that London had too many hospital beds, and that hospital services could be replaced by expanded 'primary care' from GPs - a theory that has yet to be shown to work anywhere in the world.
So far, although the Middlesex has been run down in size, the only other closure from the Tomlinson hit-list has been the casualty unit at Bart's, while the Tomlinson Report itself and the sketchy and selective figures on which it was based have been widely discredited.
Trolleys
Earlier this year a new report commissioned by the inner London health authorities admitted that the reduced number of acute hospital beds in the capital are under severe 'pressure', with many operating at above 90% capacity and some above 100%, with patients lined up on trolleys in corridors.
While laboriously avoiding the word 'crisis', the report recommended a halt to any further hospital closures.
SE London health chiefs admitted that the retreat on the Guy's closure arose largely because of the huge groundswell of public opposition, or, to put it in officialese: "People needed convincing the plan was right". Shambles: Bottomley "It has been difficult to discuss how change should take place when many people are still disputing whether it should," said SE London boss Martin Roberts, who will now ask Virginia Bottomley for an extra £18-£25 million to keep Guy's busy casualty unit open at least until 1999.
The retreat follows on the public announcement by New River health authority (Enfield and Haringey) that it had rejected a Price Waterhouse report which proposed closure of Chase Farm Hospital, and the assurance by Hertfordshire Health Agency that it will postpone its planned closure of two out of four casualty units in the county until after the next election.
In each case the public outcry and vocal opposition to the cutbacks has been the key factor in forcing a retreat.
But while these victories should encourage campaigners, there is no guarantee of success: a huge local campaign in North West London is still fighting plans by Barnet health agency to close the busy A&E unit and acute beds at Edgware General Hospital.
Campaigners in other parts of the country, where hospital closure plans based on the now discredited Tomlinson model' are being proposed, must also step up the pressure. Hospital services can be saved. MISE BETTER FUNDING FOR CHRISTIE NO MORE REUINDANCIES * BE SE CHRISTIER HOSPITAL! Frightened of promising to spend money, Labour's front bench cannot even back up NHS cuts fight * BETTER FUNDING \ FOR NHA * BETTER * NO * FINDING FOR MORP CANCER CARE НЕЛІТН I CUTS