An MP has called for the government to look at the closure of a hospital’s accident and emergency centre with a “fresh pair of eyes” in Parliament yesterday.

Questions on the future of King George Hospital’s A&E, used by many Redbridge residents, were put to government ministers in an hour-long debate from 4.30pm in Westminster Hall

The Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals trust (BHRUT), which runs the Goodmayes hospital, remains in special measures after being found to be failing in December 2013 and a fresh inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released earlier this month.

Labour Ilford North MP Wes Streeting, who has vowed to fight "tooth and nail" to oppose the A&E closure plans, called for the government to intervene in Redbridge Clinical Commissioning Group’s decision to centralise services at Queen’s Hospital in Romford.

He said: “Since the decision to close the A&E department at King George, much has changed in terms of both the population pressures and the immense strain on the whole health economy in east London.

“In that context, it is really not unreasonable to ask ministers to intervene, to look at the A&E closure with a fresh pair of eyes, and to ask the clinical commissioning group to reopen the A&E closure decision and reconsider its position.

“Thousands of residents across Redbridge will never forgive the Conservatives if they do not at least look at this matter with a fresh pair of eyes.”

But Conservative Ben Gummer, the parliamentary under-secretary of state for health, dismissed the calls.

He said: “The principle behind it was a better organisation of A&E and urgent care in east and north-east London—in particular, being able to provide superior trauma care at fewer sites.

“That model has wide understanding across the house and is based on international evidence and, increasingly, the experience in the NHS.

“I understand why people who are concerned about a hospital that will lose particular services—although King George hospital will retain a 24-hour urgent care service—will feel aggrieved by that change.

“I accept that uncertainty is created at the King George site and that the effect of that is potentially destabilising, especially when the hospital and the trust have had to endure the whole process of special measures.

“But you are suggesting that we make a political intervention against a decision made by doctors about the best distribution of trauma centres and urgent and emergency care centres according to population.

“Decisions have been made on a similar basis throughout the country.

“I do not believe that he really feels that that would be an acceptable route to take.

“Secondly, even were we to do that, it would not remove uncertainty, because there would still need to be some sort of reconfiguration in future in order to get the best outcomes for patients.

“So the uncertainty would remain.”