The announcement that two A&E and maternity units could be cut across the region has been blasted as "unbelievably insensitive and foolish" by Epsom’s MP.

Speaking to the Epsom Guardian, Chris Grayling said the recommendation made yesterday by the Better Services Better Value (BSBV) programme board, that two A&E and maternity departments should be axed out of those at Epsom, St Helier, Kingston or Croydon University Hospital, shows NHS London have "effectively kyboshed their own process".

After the recommendation was made on Wednesday, Michael Bailey, consultant urologist and medical director for the BSBV programme, said: "I would strongly emphasise that no decisions have yet been made. 

"These are clinical recommendations from local doctors and nurses only. 

"Further work needs to be done to determine whether they would work in practice."

But Mr Grayling said: "They have driven a coach and horses through the work they said they are going to be doing over the next couple of months in Surrey, revealing the whole process to be a charade because they have already taken this decision.

"It’s unbelievably insensitive to make an announcement like this at the start of a process to decide which services should be kept in Surrey.

"It seems to me that by doing what they have done, it now leaves the NHS in London open to legal challenge from patient groups about the consultation process which is unbelievably foolish and I think they will live to regret it.

"They have effectively kyboshed their own process."

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, also emphasised that Wednesday’s announcement was a recommendation only.

He said: "I think it is extremely important to remember that they are only recommendations at this stage and apply to all five hospitals, whilst recognising St George's Hospital's special position. 

"Crucially, absolutely no decisions have been made about which sites would be affected and further work needs to be done to determine whether the recommendations would work in practice. 

"As such, BSBV have committed, over the next four weeks, to develop their preferred proposals and will need to look at the impact they have on patient travel times, NHS staff numbers and what it would mean in terms of finances.

"Our doctors, nurses, midwives and other staff will continue to engage with the BSBV process and we would encourage our patients and local people to do the same.

"Our hospitals continue to be very busy, with us treating an increasing number of patients in our A&E and maternity units."

Local health campaigner Rosemary Najim said yesterday’s announcement was "nonsense" and that Epsom should be removed from the BSBV process.

She said: "It’s wrong to try to add Epsom into the BSBV process at the last minute. Patients in South West London have had an input and say on how they think things will be impacted over the last three years. 

"We are being included in the BSBV review without having a proper review of the whole of Surrey and Epsom as a part of Surrey.

"It’s the broader picture which is wrong and this needs to be said very loudly. Saying that these services should be closed without considering Epsom properly is nonsense."

Ms Najim encouraged community groups to contact the BSBV programme board, by emailing betterservices@swlondon.nhs.uk, to attend a meeting next Tuesday, January 15, at Epsom Downs Racecourse, which will inform key stakeholders of what being a part of the BSBV review means for Epsom Hospital.