Charing Cross Hospital |
The latest NHS figures
confirm that, since the government shut the A&Es at Hammersmith and
Central Middlesex hospitals last September, Imperial College NHS Trust (which runs
Charing Cross, St Mary’s, Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea
hospitals) has consistently missed its target of seeing patients within four hours.
And yet the government refuses to shelve plans to downgrade the A&Es
at Charing Cross and Ealing hospitals, which would only make matters worse.
In response to a groundswell of concern from local
residents, Hammersmith & Fulham's new Labour administration joined with Brent, Ealing
and Hounslow councils to ask top barrister Michael Mansfield QC to lead the
independent North West London Healthcare Commission.
Michael Mansfield QC |
The Commission has now started work and is assessing the
impact on local people from A&E closures to date and from the threatened reduction
in services at Charing Cross and Ealing hospitals. Public meetings will be held across West London, with one planned for Hammersmith Town Hall on Saturday 14 March.
Misleading taxpayer funded leaflet from former H&F Conservative administration |
“Cameron’s favourite council” even ran an expensive campaign
of taxpayer-funded leaflets misleadingly claiming that
the A&E would be “retained” at Charing Cross, despite health bosses
admitting that their plans would see most of the hospital site sold and an end to blue light services.
Things changed once Labour took control last May. H&F
council now uncompromisingly defends local health services.
According to H&F council leader Stephen Cowan, “The work
of the independent Commission, which is free of vested interests, is vital in
assessing how local trusts can ensure a safe and sustainable future for our
hospital services. I encourage everyone to have their say at the forthcoming
public meetings.
“The deteriorating state of local A&E services
is evidence of just how important this review is for West London.”
No comments:
Post a Comment