HEALTH Secretary Andrew Lansley made his promised visit to Bexley today (December 7).

He was in Northumberland Heath to launch the first wave of his new pioneering Pathfinder GPs, who will take the lead in commissioning health services.

He was also having a private meeting with South London Healthcare Trust at Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, to discuss the review of the A Picture of Health proposals for the area and the "temporary" closure of emergency services at Queen Mary's.

News Shopper spoke with Mr Lansley before his meeting with the trust.

We told him people in Bexley felt cheated by the A Picture of Health (APOH) consultations which proposed only one outcome for Queen Mary's - the loss of all of its emergency services including A&E and maternity.

We told Mr Lansley people felt cheated again when, despite his moratorium on the APOH changes, they felt the trust had manipulated a situation which allowed it to make the changes anyway, under the guise of "temporary closures".

And we asked him if he could give people any reassurance Queen Mary's might regain its emergency services.

He told News Shopper: " I have been very clear about setting out the tests which need to be met, including the views of GP commissioners, the public and local authority's views and those of patients, about where they want services and where they can best be provided.

"These still have to be judged by the NHS London board on December 14, then they will come to me."

Mr Lansley added: "One of the reasons I came here today to launch to Pathfinder programme with Bexley Care Trust, is I have the opportunity to go and see South London Healthcare Trust.

"The trust has serious financial issues and I will want to reassure myself it is not prejudicing the long-term future.

"And the long term future has yet to be decided against these tests."

He promised: "I will be looking at my conversations here and at Queen Mary's to reassure myself the decisions are consistent with the needs of the people of Bexley and the surrounding area.

"It will not be easy.

"We have to recognise there are significant financial challenges, with more former hospital services now being provided in the community and as a result, there will be changes to hospital services.

"If our leadership in Bexley is already shaping these services, my job is to stop the services from being prevented by short term decisions, which could prejudice the long term future."