A health pressure group has condemned proposals to close St Helier’s vital services.

Members of Sutton Link (local involvement network) are demanding the hospital does not lose its accident and emergency, maternity and children’s ward which are deemed vital to the community.

In May the Better Service, Better Value healthcare review recommended that St Helier Hospital should be the hospital in SW London that loses its accident and emergency and maternity departments and receives a planned surgery centre instead.

The review has also recommended that St Helier, Kingston and Croydon University hospitals are all set to lose their inpatient paediatric care in favour of a single children’s hospital based at St George’s Hospital in Tooting.

A survey of Link members has rejected the plan and the chair of Sutton Link, Ted Gates MBE, said: “The Link survey carried out this month shows that 73 per cent want to keep four hospitals with A&E, maternity and paediatric services - even if a full service [specialist consultant] cannot be provided all the time.”

The survey highlighted fears of the effects of longer travel times and poorer quality of care due to overcrowded hospitals leading to greater delays and pressure on staff.

It also echoed concerns that no replacement services have been set up in the community to cope with increased demand if St Helier A&E is shut.

One member wrote: “Further to A&E could mean longer, and death. For those who rely on public transport, access to the other three hospitals involves more than one bus and rail transport to Kingston and St George’s is abysmal.

“Visiting friends and relatives in hospital would be extremely difficult, which in turn leads to patients being less happy – leading to longer recovery times.”

The survey asked members to explain what they liked about St Helier – 92 per cent said it was near to home, 84 per cent praised the quality of A&E, 66 per cent cited good transport and 61 per cent experienced a positive patient experience.

Leader of Sutton Council, Ruth Dombey, said: “This is further proof of how unpopular the BSBV plan is. GPs, politicians, Link and, most importantly, residents have all come out against the proposals.

“We will continue to fight until we get this ridiculous plan shelved and we secure the long-term future of St Helier as a fully functioning hospital for the people of Sutton and south west London.”