The Court of Appeals has overruled Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, declaring that he did not have the power to implement cuts at Lewisham Hospital.
In July, High Court judge Mr Justice Silber ruled that Hunt acted outside his powers when he made cuts to Lewisham Hospital's maternity and emergency units, calling the move "unlawful" and that it would cause locals to "travel a long, long way further to get access to vital services". The Health Secretary, however, insisted the cuts would somehow improve patient care.
The government had taken to the Court of Appeals on Monday in hopes the judge's ruling would be overturned.
The government was challenged by the Save Lewisham Hospital initiative, and their supporters were very pleased by the outcome:
Outside High Court for govt appeal against us. Go Lewisham! #Justice4Lewisham
SaveLewishamA&E
@SaveLewishamAE
Outside High Court for govt appeal against us. Go Lewisham! #Justice4Lewisham
Save Lewisham Hospital won appeal ! Judges threw govt appeal out! So much hard work by so many paid off! #saveLewishamAE #SLH #NHS
Jon Penner
@MeWombat
Save Lewisham Hospital won appeal ! Judges threw govt appeal out! So much hard work by so many paid off! #saveLewishamAE #SLH #NHS
Oh YES. Superb work, the Save Lewisham campaign. Court of Appeal slaps down Jeremy Hunt: http://t.co/f6EflGZjO6
Paul B
@lostmertonian
Oh YES. Superb work, the Save Lewisham campaign. Court of Appeal slaps down Jeremy Hunt: http://t.co/f6EflGZjO6
Fabulous news for Lewisham! Well done all involved in the campaign to save the hospital http://t.co/Ld8j4Onmii
Fiona Twycross
@fionatwycross
Fabulous news for Lewisham! Well done all involved in the campaign to save the hospital http://t.co/Ld8j4Onmii
And others were mainly just mad at Jeremy Hunt:
Jeremy Hunt, who claims to champion patient voice, spends tax payers money to defy what patients want. What a weasel. http://t.co/4eDijKP903
Jacky Davis
@DrJackyDavis
Jeremy Hunt, who claims to champion patient voice, spends tax payers money to defy what patients want. What a weasel. http://t.co/4eDijKP903
Watch now as the government scrambles to implement law to retrospectively make Jeremy Hunt's breaking of the law ok. #Lewisham
Lee Griffin
@Niaccurshi
Watch now as the government scrambles to implement law to retrospectively make Jeremy Hunt's breaking of the law ok. #Lewisham
Lewisham Hospital: Appeal Court overrules Jeremy Hunt - Tory's making a joke of Justice http://t.co/3fRMyjXixk
Are We All Asleep ?
@demindblower
Lewisham Hospital: Appeal Court overrules Jeremy Hunt - Tory's making a joke of Justice
http://t.co/3fRMyjXixk
"This expensive waste of time for the government should serve as a wake up call that they cannot ride roughshod over the needs of the people."The decision to dismiss the appeal also reaffirms the need for judicial review, a legal process by which the unlawful decisions of public bodies, including the government, can be challenged by the public."
Labour's shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, said this was a "humiliation" for Hunt.