Orpington Hospital could host a specialist centre for orthopaedic care under proposals being drawn up by the NHS.
Health officials are considering whether to hold a public consultation on the plans, which could see current patients having to travel to a different hospital to undergo treatment.
Guy’s Hospital and Lewisham Hospital are also on the shortlist, with officials planning to create elective orthopaedic centres at two of the three sites.
If the proposals go ahead, the centres will be furnished with dedicated theatres and ring-fenced beds, which all orthopaedic consultants would use to carry out inpatient surgery.
The NHS says consolidating orthopaedic care into two centres in south-east London would help it to cope with a projected 25 per cent rise in demand for services over the next five years Patients could also benefit from shorter waiting times, fewer cancelled operations and better infection control.
The committee will decide whether or not to proceed to public consultation for 14 weeks starting in early December and running into 2017.
