Boris Johnson today backed calls to save the Royal Brompton Hospital's world-renowned children's heart surgery unit from the axe.
The Mayor joined medical leaders, young patients and their families in the fight - only weeks after the hospital in Chelsea was granted a judicial review into plans to close the unit, claiming they were "unlawful and flawed".
The proposals came in February as part of a "Safe and Sustainable" NHS review into UK child heart units. The joint committee of Primary Care Trusts recommended an end to paediatric surgery at the hospital, leaving only two specialist centres offering children's heart surgery in London: Great Ormond Street and Guy's and St Thomas'.
It is claimed the plans also threaten the Royal Brompton's cystic fibrosis and paediatric intensive care units.
The committee has been accused of trying to avoid claims of bias towards London. But Mr Johnson said: "There are wonderful centres of excellence in this city and I wouldn't want to see any sign that there had been any discrimination against London." The London Assembly backs his stance.
The Government is trying to stave off a rebellion over health reforms by Lib-Dem MPs, who plan fresh moves at the party conference next week.
The Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust said: "It is a great boost for us to gain the support of the Mayor and London Assembly."
A spokesman for the review said: "Safe and Sustainable agrees with the Mayor, that we should 'concentrate excellence where we can', as the overwhelming view of the Royal Colleges and other medical and nursing bodies is that it is this concentration of expertise that leads to the 'outstanding centres of clinical care' he describes."
The spokesman said an independent panel had been set up to consider the potential impact of the proposed changes on other services. Its findings will be published tomorrow.
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