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How many Londoners are dying for one of these?..

Over 1,000 London GPs and hospital doctors signed a newspaper statement in July claiming that the NHS reforms have damaged patient care. Among the signatories was former Conservative health minister Sir Gerard Vaughan.

The NHS Support Federation, which organised the joint statement, also unveiled a poster highlighting the shortage of hospital beds in the capital. Since 1990 over 4,000 London hospital beds have closed, along with 14 major hospitals and 12 accident and emergency departments.

Professor Harry Keen, president of the federation and a former colleague of Sir Gerard at Guy’s Hospital in London, welcomed his support.

‘It is certainly better late than never. He has finally joined the vast majority of his medical colleagues, who know the NHS is breaking under the strain caused by the government’s market-based reforms’, he said.