Dr Tracey Batten, the chief executive of Imperial College NHS Trust, said she would no longer take part in the £120,000 week-long “study tour” to Boston, New York, Baltimore and Richmond after details were revealed in the Evening Standard.

Commenting on this Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter [who has seen two local A&Es close in recent months], said:

 “This is further evidence of the management meltdown across the NHS in North West London. These highly paid bosses should be solving the David Cameron’s A&E crisis, not swanning off to look at privatised health services at the NHS’s expense. Now that Dr Batten has been shamed by campaigners into withdrawing from the junket, I am calling on the other 22 bureaucrats to do likewise, unpack their suitcases, roll up their sleeves and help out our hard pressed doctors and nurses on frontline.”

To read the rest of the Evening Standard exclusive click here