REPORTS that West Middlesex University Hospital is £2.5 million in debt have emerged amidst revelations by Pressure group, London Health Emergency, that managers at the hospital last year had to turn away 15 critical patients.

According to the hospital's trustees, the financial deficit at West Middlesex Hospital is due in large part to a significant increase in emergency admissions in recent months. This has been common across West London, and has been further exacerbated by a higher than expected number of 'walking wounded' patients choosing to attend West Middlesex for treatment because of the facilities available in the new hospital.

Alexander Northcote, the Conservative's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Brentford & Isleworth, used the report to condemn the Government's handling of the NHS.

Mr Northcote said: "The West Middlesex is supposed to be a gleaming example of how the NHS has improved under this Government. But while the doctors and nurses are working hard, the hospital is in a financial mess.

"Despite an increase in spending of 37.5 per cent since 1999/00, activity levels in hospitals have risen by only 4.8 per cent as measured by completed hospital inpatient treatment."

Former nurse, MP Ann Keen, hit back: "I will take no lectures from the Tories as they continually vote against any further investment in public services. Previous Tory MPs for Brentford and Isleworth have even been health ministers and did nothing for our local hospital. They need to seriously look at the how the deficit arrived in the first place.

"The Labour Government is committed to the NHS and investment and reform whilst the Tory party supports £18 billion worth of cuts to key services. "

A hospital spokesman said: "We have been working hard to reduce our underlying deficit by finding ways to improve how we work and therefore reduce inefficiencies. The outcome of this work has not only improved patient care but has also resulted in significant financial savings."