BRITAIN’S competition watchdog has been drafted in to rule on a merger between two publicly funded hospitals.

The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) — more commonly called upon to rule on corporate takeovers — gave the green light yesterday to plans for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Foundation Trust to swallow up debt-laden neighbour West Middlesex.

Anti-privatisation campaigners said the regulator’s involvement showed just how far the Tories’ NHS market reforms have gone since 2012’s privatising Health and Social Care Act.