MPs and the council leader are  joining forces to press a health minister into intervening to stop services leaving St Helier Hospital.

Cost-saving NHS review Better Service Better Value recommended St Helier Hospital should lose its accident and emergency department, maternity unit and children's unit. It would mean people in Sutton having to travel to St George's in Tooting for frontline services.

But MPs Tom Brake and Paul Burstow together with Sutton Council leader Ruth Dombey are meeting MP Anna Soubry, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health, in January to press for her to look at the review's suggestions which they say are flawed.

Mr Brake said: "The Minister must listen to the concerns of local residents who want services at St Helier protected. The BSBV review is flawed and is based upon community health services that don’t exist."

Mr Burstow added: "It’s time the chaos caused by local NHS bosses coming up with an unrealistic and undeliverable plan comes to an end. That’s why we’re asking the Minister to take a long hard look at these proposals before it’s too late."

The duo, together with Coun Dombey who called BSBV's recommendations ridiculous, will urge Ms Soubry to release funding to further develop St Helier Hospital when they meet on January 10.