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CCG leaders may resign over Lewisham A&E decision

Exclusive The chair of the CCG at the heart of a controversial decision to downgrade Lewisham A&E says she and other CCG members are ‘disappointed’ in the outcome and are ‘reviewing their situation’ on the board.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt decided yesterday to retain Lewisham A&E at a reduced size following opposition from the local CCG, patients and council leaders.

But Lewisham CCG chair Dr Helen Tattersfield told Pulse that Mr Hunt’s decision to ‘was not a real solution’ and it amounted to a ‘tweaked urgent care centre’.

The fate of the A&E department at Lewisham Hospital has become a critical test case for whether local commissioners will have the power to determine service change locally.

Dr Tattersfield told Pulse that the CCG regarded the health secretary’s decision on Lewisham Hospital as ‘disappointing’ and that they were considering their positions on the board.

She added:  ‘We are dedicated professional people who are concerned about the needs of our residents. So our main priority is to mitigate and ensure their care and we will continue to develop local services as much as possible.

‘But as individual members of the executive team and our views on clinical commissioning, we will be reviewing our situation and will come to a decision when we have had a chance to do so collectively.’

Dr Tattersfield confirmed that she was referring to the GP members’ positions on the CCG board.