THE chief executive of Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, made a last minute intervention this week to persuade Bexley councillors NOT to try to stop proposed changes at the hospital.

Councillors declared themselves stunned and shocked, as Kate Grimes told them Queen Mary's was too small a hospital to be able to deliver safe clinical emergency care into the future.

Her surprise intervention came as councillors decided to press ahead with a challenge to the decision by the joint committee of primary care trusts (JCPCT), to remove emergency services from the Sidcup hospital.

Bexley called an emergency meeting of its health scrutiny committee on Monday, to decide whether to refer the JCPCT decision to Health Secretary Alan Johnson.

It made the move after the joint scrutiny committee, made up of councillors from Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham, plus councillors from Southwark, Lambeth and Kent, decided to delay its referral decision until September.

Councillor Ross Downing said she was "stunned" to hear Ms Grimes' views.

She said: "I thought we were fighting against Bexley Care Trust to save the services.

"I didn't realise the hospital's chief executive was in favour."

Ms Grimes told the meeting her first duty was to provide safe clinical services while the proposed changes take place and in the future.

She said: "I cannot see how Queen Mary's can do that in the current configuration.

"Small hospitals, trying to do everything, cannot give the best care."

She gave examples at Queen Mary's where there are not enough consultants to properly staff A&E or enough experts for the intensive care beds.

She said: "We need to create fewer, bigger teams."

Ms Grimes said Queen Mary's still had a strong future, but a delay of up to six months because of the referral process could affect the hospital's efforts to keep its staff.

Councillor Sharon Massey, cabinet member for health, who has spearheaded Bexley Council's opposition to the changes, said she was concerned to hear Ms Grimes' views.

She said: "I am amazed at the decision which has been taken."

Cllr Massey said she feared for the whole future of the hospital if the changes went ahead.

She asked who would take their child to Queen Mary's urgent care centre with a broken leg which may need an operation, and therefore transfer to a second hospital?

She suggested patients would vote with their feet and go straight to the acute hospitals.

Cllr Massey said it was the duty of councillors to represent the views of the public of Bexley.

And she challenged Ms Grimes' view a delay may mean Queen Mary's loses the opportunity to bring further services to Sidcup.

Throughout the meeting, Bexley councillors expressed angry views about the consultation process for A Picture of Health.

They agreed to refer the decision to Mr Johnson on the grounds the consultation had no proper option for Queen Mary's, option two had not been consulted and it is not in the best interest of Bexley people.

l Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital has announced a 12-hour vigil outside the hospital on Saturday, September 20.