London Mayor admits not reading report calling maternity and A&E closures 'deeply flawed'

Boris Johnson has admitted he did not read findings from a report which criticised the closure of A&E departments at Hammersmith and the maternity unit at Ealing.

The Mayor of London failed to answer questions about his record on tackling health inequalities in west London.

London Assembly member Dr Onkar Sahota questioned Boris at City Hall on the report by the commission chaired by Michael Mansfield QC, which called for "deeply flawed" changes to NHS West London health services to be "halted immediately".

But the mayor dismissed the findings from the independent report after admitting he had not read it in full.

Dr Sahota said the mayor’s unwillingness to answer questions “completely fails communities” who are concerned about the future of their local NHS.

Health Services in North West London have seen a number of changes since the launch of the government’s Shaping a Health Future plan in 2013.

The government’s reshape saw the closure of A&Es at Hammersmith and Central Middlesex Hospitals and the maternity unit at Ealing .

Paediatric services at Ealing are also expected to close this June.

Dr Onkar Sahota AM, said: “Not only has Boris Johnson not responded to the commission’s report, it seems he’s barely skimmed it.

"Local people will rightly expect him to put the interests of their health first, but he can’t do that if he doesn’t know what they’re up against.

"It’s hard to have any real faith that he understands the impact of the government’s changes on local people."

The Mayor of London is responsible for looking at ways to improve the health of Londoners and reduce health inequalities across the capital, although he is not responsible for NHS services.

Dr Sahota, who is also a GP for the Hanwell Family Health Practice added that Boris has failed the community after being "unable to set out his record on improving equal access to health care for people living in west London".

The Independent Healthcare Commission report

The long awaited report damned the controversial plans and suggested legal challenges could take place if the plans did not stop.

Commissioned a year ago by Labour-run authorities (December 2014), it drew criticism from opponents who said it was not independent but politically motivated.

In his report, Mr Mansfield said: “The findings of the Independent Healthcare Commission for North West London are stark - the reforms, both proposed and implemented thus far, are deeply flawed.

"There is no realistic prospect of achieving good quality accessible healthcare for all, and any further implementation is likely to exacerbate a deteriorating situation.

“Our recommendations are equally stark.

"It is the view of the commission that the Shaping a Healthier Future programme should be halted immediately and that the affected councils should consider a legal challenge if it is taken forward in the current circumstances.”