Redbridge’s King George could become ‘community plus hospital’, says chief executive

King George Hospital could function as a “community plus hospital” when A&E and maternity services transfer to Queen’s, the chief executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust has said.

Avril Dongworth said the hospital will exist in five years, providing slightly different services to now.

But two Redbridge MPs have questioned her broad vision.

Ms Dongworth said: “King George will be providing the appropriate services to support Queen’s and supporting what GPs want that might not need the full benefit of a district general hospital.

“I would say King George might be a community plus hospital.”

Lee Scott, the MP for Ilford North, said: “We will be lobbying the GPs’ consortium once it’s in place to keep the services there There will always be a role for King George’s and the secretary of state for health [Andrew Lansley] has made it clear he is not considering the closure of any hospitals in London.”

Mike Gapes, MP for Ilford South, said King George would become “a minor hospital dealing with minor injuries” should it lose its A&E and maternity wards.

He said: “I think it’s deplorable, to take away services from Ilford residents, forcing them to go Queen’s to have their babies and there’s no way Queen’s is capable of coping, that’s why Averil Dongworth is trying to get work transferred from King George Hospital but she was blocked.

? Read our full interview with Ms Dongworth in next week’s Recorder.