Epsom GPs have voted overwhelmingly to reject the proposed shake-up of acute hospitals which would have seen Epsom Hospital lose its accident and emergency and maternity units.

The results of the poll were leaked at 12.30pm today showing that 74 per cent of GPs who took part voted against the Better Services Better Value proposals.

Just 25 per cent of the GPs had been persuaded that the proposals would be good for their patients, despite a last minute presentation by the BSBV team to the doctors on Tuesday night.

Two thirds of all the GPs, including locums, working in the Surrey Downs area took part in the secret ballot which was run online by an independent company.

Health campaigner Jane Race said she was in tears when she found out the result.

She said: "This is excellent news. It is very good to know that Surrey GPs are thinking about the interests of their patients and are preserving our services.

"We can go forward in confidence that they will work to maintain and invest in the future of the NHS.

"We have worked very hard to gather evidence showing that the BSBV proposals were unsafe and not in the interests of Surrey patients.

"We now look forward to the CCGs and local clinicians working together to produce the best possible service for their patients and the community as a whole."

A BSBV spokesman said: "My assessment is that they will now withdraw from the programme. The six other CCGs will have to consider their next steps."

What do you think of the decision? Leave a comment below or email alice.foster@london.newsquest.co.uk.