A HOSPITAL trust was accused of “clinging to A Picture of Health like a drowning man” as furious councillors confronted trust chiefs about the future of Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup.

Bexley Council’s health scrutiny committee was scathing in its criticism of South London Healthcare Trust (SLHT) chief executive Dr Chris Streather and his medical director Roger Smith, following the trust’s decision to close emergency services at Queen Mary’s on a “temporary” basis.

Councillor Melvin Seymour accused the trust of “treating the public with complete indifference and arrogance” after learning public comments on the temporary closure, encouraged by the council, were not considered by the clinical cabinet which reviewed the A Picture of Health (APOH) decision.

Committee chairman Councillor Ross Downing said there were serious questions to be asked about the impartiality of the clinical cabinet and NHS London.

Councillor June Slaughter said the review was “just a repeat of the APOH procedure” with Bexley people’s views ignored.

Dr Streather told the committee 80 per cent of the people attending Queen Mary’s for their healthcare would continue to receive it at Sidcup.

He said the Sidcup A&E would close on the evening of November 24.

Maternity, medical wards and intensive care would follow on December 13.

Dr Streather denied the decision had been made to get round the government moratorium of implementing APOH, repeating the decision had been made purely on clinical safety grounds.

He was pressed by a member of Queen Mary’s staff on why Sidcup A&E was closing when the trust’s two other hospitals at Farnborough and Woolwich were already breaching the four-hour A&E waiting targets.

Roger Smith said closing Sidcup would enable its A&E staff to boost numbers at the Queen Elizabeth and ensure patients were seen quicker.

The trust was accused by several councillors of engineering the situation at Queen Mary’s.

The council is now pinning its hopes on the possibility of another Independent Review Panel.