PLANS to close an A&E department overnight have been dropped - until it closes for good in 2019.

The Secretary of State for Health decided to close King George Hospital’s A&E department in Goodmayes back in 2011, but said it would only do so when neighbouring facilities in Romford and Leytonstone could cope with the extra demand.

Earlier this year site managers Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust (BHRUT) revealed plans to close King George’s A&E overnight at some point in 2017.

But an email from the North East London Sustainability and Transformation Plan’s (STP) executive lead Jane Milligan has now shown the plans have been dropped.

It reads: “We were considering an option to close the unit at night later this year but have decided not to go ahead with it.

“This is to avoid any confusion among the public as we want all of the new arrangements in place and properly publicised and explained before we introduce them.

“It is still our intention to make the changes by 2019.”

More to follow.