The doctor leading Surrey’s GP commissioning group has questioned the validity of a secret ballot of GPs in the area which showed that the majority of those who responded do not want Epsom Hospital to part of a controversial healthcare review aiming to axe its acute services.

MP Chris Grayling instigated the ballot, alongside other local MPs Sir Paul Beresford, Dominic Raab and Crispin Blunt, which was sent to all GPs practicing in the Surrey Downs commissioning area, with the results being independently counted and verified by the returning officer at Mole Valley Council.

The GPs were asked whether they were in favour of the proposals set out in the Better Services Better Value (BSBV) review of acute services across Epsom, St Helier, Croydon, Kingston and St George’s hospitals, which has recommended to remove Epsom’s A&E, maternity and children’s units, and whether they would support a separate process to consider the future of Epsom Hospital within a Surrey context.

Out of the 206 GPs balloted, 49 per cent responded, with the majority voting against the BSBV proposals for Epsom and for a discussion of its future to take place in a Surrey context.

But Dr Claire Fuller, clinical chair of Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group (SDCCG), questioned whether the results were "representative".

She said: "I have always been clear that not all doctors support all the proposals but what is very apparent from talking to our GPs, is that they are all committed to raising the standards of care for Surrey Downs patients.

"Whilst this ballot gives a view from local doctors, not every GP in the Surrey Downs area received a copy.

"Therefore we are not clear on the sample size and how many of our GPs were balloted and chose to respond.

"Without more details, I would question whether these findings are representative of the local GP community as this has not been our experience through working directly with GP colleagues."

But Mr Grayling hit back at Dr Fuller’s claims today and said that the ballot was sent to more than 200 GPs "listed on SDCCG’s website".

He added: "We sent the letters personally to them at their surgeries and we have had a response from over 100 of these GPs."