The capital could be set for its first specialist emergency hospital after £500 million plans to transform care in south-west London were published.
The hospital would be built in Sutton alongside the Royal Marsden Cancer Hospital and the Institute for Cancer Research.
It would have a major A&E, critical care, emergency surgery, maternity and children’s inpatient beds.
“Step down” care, including rehabilitation and elderly care would be provided at nearby St Helier hospital in Sutton and Epsom.
The proposal is the preferred option of three being published today by health leaders in Surrey, Sutton and Merton.
The hospitals would retain 85 per cent of services, day surgery and urgent treatment centres and share £80 million to refurbish.
Sutton, which will be built in four years, would have the greatest benefit with shortest travel time increases.
