Jo has welcomed the announcement by the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, that a grant of £1.5bn is to be made available to help the South London Healthcare NHS Trust (SLHT), along with 6 other hospital trusts in England, meet their private finance initiative (PFI) payments. 

Jo said: "I know this decision will be meet with some relief in my constituency, where residents have been increasingly concerned by budgetary constraints at the Princess Royal, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary's sites.   Labour left the SLHT with a PFI repayment of £66.8m for 2012-13, which risked crippling local healthcare provision. 

"This is partial but welcome progress in resolving the funding issues at the SLHT, but I am grateful to the minister and I look forward to working with my him and his colleagues to continue reform of PFI. At the same time, I call on the Department to help resolve ongoing questions at Orpington Hospital and end the uncertainty for residents and NHS staff "