New protest to save A&E department

Monday, 18 January 2010

By Peter Henn

THE fight against the Health for North East London (Health4NEL) plans to shut Accident & Emergency and Maternity services at King George Hospital, Barley Lane, Goodmayes, is continuing.

A protest outside the Town Hall on Ilford High Road on Saturday, January 9, was a success, with more than 500 people signing a petition against the closure, and now a march is being organised.

Andy Walker, who said he had first-hand experience of the need for both maternity and A&E, is setting up a new event, which takes place on Saturday, February 13.

The 47-year-old explained: "When my youngest child was born, my wife had a maternal haemorrhage, and the treatment she got at A&E was absolutely vital.

"What they are planning to do is utter madness."

The father-of-four, from Blythswood Road, Seven Kings, said he wanted to make sure people knew the depth of feeling.

He said: "It’s been proven that the quicker you get someone to A&E, the more likely you are to save someone’s life.

"We really do need this here – it’s not as if Queen’s Hospital has lots of space at the moment."

The protest has already got the support of Ilford South MP Mike Gapes (Labour) and his Ilford North counterpart, Lee Scott (Conservative), who have both announced their attendance.

For more information about the march, which starts outside the hospital at 1.15pm, call Mr Walker on 07956 263088.

Posted by : Martin, London | Friday 16/Jan/2009 | Report this comment

I find the whole thing confusing. Some weeks items are acceptable and other weeks they are not. Why is this?

I’ve written a couple of posts on the subject myself, which you can read at www.reallifenews.com/environment.