Answers to Parliamentary Questions tabled by Jeremy Hunt MP have revealed the true cost to the NHS of McKinsey & Co, the expensive management consultants who have been tasked with developing hospital closure proposals in Surrey. So far in 2006-7, the Department of Health has spent £9,964,000 on McKinsey which is a staggering increase of over 4000% since 2004-5.Commenting on the revelations, Jeremy said: ""McKinsey seem to be the NHS cuts consultants of choice. Patricia Hewitt is gambling that spending ever increasing amounts of money on them will somehow help her justify unpopular hospital closures. ""McKinsey's bill for this financial year alone would have paid for nearly 2,000 hip replacements. Perhaps if she sacked the management consultants then the doctors and nurses at hospitals such as the Royal Surrey would not find their jobs under threat."" Research by Jeremy has revealed that a similar investment of £9,964,000 could have paid for:· 1925 primary hip replacements, or· 1819 primary knee replacements, or· Treatment of 2201 complex heart attacks, or· 4476 hernia operationsHe said: ""If we are not careful then there could be an even bigger cost of McKinsey to the NHS: the closure of much-loved hospitals such as the Royal Surrey, based on recommendations of external consultants who don't understand the NHS and seem to base their recommendations on questionable assumptions.""