Protesters to hound NHS chiefs over A&E closures

Protesters today vowed to “harass” NHS bosses who are planning to close four A&E units in west London.

More than 200 people attended a meeting in Hammersmith yesterday to discuss how best to fight plans to shut emergency departments at Charing Cross, Ealing, Hammersmith and Central Middlesex hospitals.

Larger A&E units will be created in nearby boroughs, with teams of consultants working round the clock. Residents of Hammersmith and Fulham, which would have no units, say getting to the new sites will be a “nightmare”.

NHS officials are due to rubberstamp the plans next year. Hammersmith councillor Dame Sally Powell said: “We want to know who these commissioners are, we want to write to them and harass them.” A resident added: “We need to go and visit these commissioners, 40 or 50 of us together.”

Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter, who organised the meeting, said he hoped to repeat the success of the campaign against a third runway at Heathrow. He added: “Two million people [are] served by these hospitals. This is all about people power.”

Dr Mark Spencer, medical director of NHS North West London, said: “Having more specialists on fewer sites saves lives — this has been proven through changes to stroke and trauma care.”