Campaigners lose battle to save labour ward at hospital

Maternity services at Queen Mary's Hospital will be scrapped, it was confirmed today.

Children's and emergency services will also be transferred to nearby hospitals following a decision by health bosses, which is expected to be widely criticised by campaigners.

Chief executive Kate Grimes defended the move, saying the hospital could now focus on nonemergency treatment and patients would no longer have operations cancelled.

She said: "We believe this decision gives us a great opportunity to be the leading hospital providing planned surgery for around a million people across south-east London."

The move is part of wider plans to reform emergency NHS services.

Doctors at Queen Mary's have never been able to guarantee care for patients with serious injuries because the hospital is too small. These includes stroke patients, those with multiple injuries and people who have suffered heart attacks.

The urgent care centre at St Mary's will be expanded. Planned operations earmarked to take place at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich and Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington will move to St Mary's.