HOSPITALS
Happy ending:
A&Es saved
Fiercely opposed plans
to close the A&Es at
Ealing and Charing Cross
hospitals have been
binned by the NHS.
T
he plans were part of the
controversial, £500million
Shaping a Healthier Future
(SaHF) scheme, which
included axing almost half of the A&Es
(accident and emergency departments)
in north-west London.
In fact, two local A&Es – at
Hammersmith and Central Middlesex
hospitals – have already been closed.
And the children’s A&E and maternity
services at Ealing Hospital were also
shut down.
The A&Es at Ealing and Charing
Cross hospitals were due to become
the next casualties – along with 500
10
around ealing Summer 2019
acute-care beds that were scheduled
to be removed. But these changes
have now been shelved.
‘OVERWHELMING OPPOSITION
TO MONSTROUS PLAN’
It follows a seven-year Save Our
Hospitals campaign
run by residents,
councillors and local
health campaigners.
And an independent
survey carried out by
BMG Research in 2017
showed that nine out
of 10 local people did
not agree with further
A&E closures.
Council leader Julian
Bell said: “This is what we wanted and
what we all pushed for. It is fantastic
news. I’d like to thank all our local
health campaigners Ealing Save Our
NHS; the thousands of people who
marched; the thousands who signed
petitions; and all the colleagues at
Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham
councils who worked so hard. It shows
you what people can do when they
come together.
“There was overwhelming
opposition to this monstrous plan
locally. And now the axe is no longer
hanging over Ealing and Charing Cross
A&Es, we will be speaking to the NHS
to find out what this means for the
future of our local health services.”