Residents are being invited to a roadshow about controversial plans to 'downgrade' local hospitals.

The ‘Shaping a healthier future’ event will take place at the Dominion Centre, 112 The Green, Southall on Saturday 21 July between 10-4pm.

People attending the event will be able to learn more about the NHS consultation, ask questions, and have their say on the proposals which went out to public consultation on 2 July.

The consultation’s favoured option would see Ealing, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals all lose their A&E departments as well as a range of other clinical services.

All political parties on Ealing Council oppose the proposals and councillors are urging residents to get behind the campaign to Save Our Hospitals by signing a petition and responding to the NHS consultation.

Council leader Julian Bell said: “As a council we unanimously oppose these plans which, if agreed, would dramatically reduce hospital services in the area and leave three London boroughs without A&E departments and other major hospital services.

“We need people power to defeat these plans so I would urge as many people as possible to attend this event and make their views known.

“We are asking people who live, work or visit the area to sign our petition to oppose these proposals and Save Our Hospitals.”

Under the plans Ealing Hospital would be downgraded to a ‘local hospital’, stripping it of nine of the 11 major types of service currently provided on-site including A&E and intensive care units, as well as hospital maternity and paediatric services. The proposals are part of a major restructure of NHS services in North West London which, if agreed, would see almost half of the hospitals in the region suffering a similar fate.

Under its preferred option Charing Cross Hospital would also be downgraded to a local hospital, losing the same services as Ealing. Central Middlesex Hospital, which has already had its A&E unit reduced to a daytime only service, would see the unit close permanently and it would also lose its intensive care unit. Hammersmith Hospital would no longer have major hospital status and would instead become a specialist hospital. If the plans get approved the council is concerned that residents would have to travel miles to reach the nearest major hospital for vital services.

 

Petition can be signed at www.ealing.gov.uk/petitions

 

July 12th 2012