LONDON'S ambulance chief has denied claims by a politician that spending cuts combined with A&E closures could impact on Enfield residents.

The London Ambulance Service is aiming to cut £53 million in spending between now and 2015 – axing 900 jobs, including 560 frontline jobs dealing directly with patients.

Enfield North MP Nick de Bois wrote to chief executive Peter Bradley last month to raise concerns that axing jobs could affect journey times for ambulance crews taking patients to other A&E units should Chase Farm's department close.

But Mr Bradley has said any changes – such as giving more advice over the phone to patients rather than sending ambulances – will “benefit the residents of Enfield”, rather than reduce them.

In a letter to Mr de Bois, he said: “We are also working with health care providers locally and have been involved in the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Clinical Strategy review to look at the impact of hospital closures.

“The outcome of this was that £1.2 million was required to provide additional resources to ensure that patients still received an appropriately timely response.

“This was agreed by the project board and has formed part of the financial business cases produced so far. “I am content that this level of additional funding for the London Ambulance Service would continue to ensure an appropriate level of service to the residents of Enfield. “Also, North Middlesex Hospital is in Enfield and so your residents will still have a hospital with an A&E Department within their borough.

Enfield Council has submitted a report to health secretary Andrew Lansley urging him to reconsider the plan to close Chase Farm's A&E department.

Mr Lansley is currently considering the report, and must decide whether to take action or allow the current plan to proceed.

In his letter to Mr de Bois, Mr Bradley added: “I understand your concern regarding the clinical impact if an A&E department closes.

“However, the London Ambulance Service is now bypassing many local A&E departments and taking patients to specialist centres offering enhanced levels of care.

“This has been happening for the past three years for heart attack patients, over the past year for strokes and for major trauma since last April.

“The evidence clearly shows that a patient taken to specialist centres has a much better health outcome.”