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 12 October 2008 00:25 BST

Tory hospital row rumbles on

Wednesday, 22 Aug 2007 19:45
Andrew Lansley explained a junior researcher was responsible for the now retracted apology
The Conservative party has found itself embroiled in more controversy over its list of district general hospitals facing cuts after it retracted an apology issued to one of the named trusts.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the apology given to Telford's Princess Royal hospital had been done so accidentally by a junior researcher.

"I understand that no decisions have been made in relation to Telford but that future reconfiguration affecting services in that hospital are continuing," Mr Lansley said.

"On that basis it was not correct for my researcher to apologise for its inclusion."

Earlier this week David Cameron unveiled a list of district general hospitals under threat from cuts to their A&E and maternity units, but a number of the NHS trusts named among the 29 have denied the party's claims.

The Labour party has demanded an apology from the Tory leader, whose own constituents are served by one of the hospitals named, but he has so far stood by the initial list.

Labour MP Tom Watson said: "It is time David Cameron came out and apologised to staff and patients, not least his own constituents, for his ill-judged scaremongering about the NHS.

"Will David Cameron now admit that his document made a number of false accusations and say sorry?"

Mr Cameron had initially promised prime minister Gordon Brown a "bare-knuckle fight" over alleged cuts to NHS services.

The party has so far admitted only one mistake was contained on its original list of 29 hospitals – that hospitals in Altrincham and Trafford should not have been listed as they were both covered by the same trust.End of story


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