Health secretary loses court battle over Lewisham Hospital

The Court of Appeal has ruled that England’s health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, did not have the power to close accident and emergency services at Lewisham Hospital in southeast London.

Hunt went to the appeal court on Monday 28 October to fight against a High Court ruling in summer stopping him closing the services at Lewisham.1 Hunt was arguing that the High Court judge Mr Justice Silber erred in law last July when he quashed Hunt’s decision to downgrade the hospital’s accident and emergency and maternity units.2

Hunt made the decision to downgrade the Lewisham services after a recommendation by …