Local Hospital 'Second Most at Risk' in Britain, Say Liberal Democrats

4.04.00am GMT Mon 2nd Oct 2006

A study of 152 hospital trusts by the Liberal Democrats suggests that about a fifth are at serious risk of closure or major cuts in services and the West Middlesex is 2nd on the list of vulnerability. The study ranks hospitals by pressure factors which include a history of deficits, deficits in the local Primary Care Trust and competition from lower cost providers.

Vincent Cable said that he "had not carried out the analysis but I recognise the problem. The West Middlesex has an additional problem: the big costs of meeting its Private Finance Initiative obligations. Any shortfalls cannot be met by skimping on property maintenance; there is an immediate impact on staff and beds.

"I sincerely hope the Hospital can survive the current pressures to make major cuts. But the Government is warning that it will not 'bail out' financially troubled hospitals; so it is difficult to be totally optimistic."