Consultation Backs Ealing A+E Closure

But local opposition remains high

Related Links

Read Consultation Results in full (word doc)

Boris Backing Claimed for Hospital Campaign

Closure of 4 London A&Es Will Have 'Devastating Impact'

ActonW3.com, ChiswickW4.com and EalingToday.co.uk

Participate
Comment on this story on the forum

The future looks bleak for Ealing Hospital's Accident and Emergency department after the publication of the results of a public consultation.

Called 'Shaping a Healthier Future' NHS North West London want fewer but more specialist centres in the area and asked for opinions about the changes.

The findings - just published- show support for ending Accident and Emergency services at Charing Cross, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Ealing.

Option A, preferred by the NHS, would have St Mary's, Chelsea and Westminster, West Middlesex, Northwick Park, and Hillingdon hospitals remaining as major facilities, keeping their A&Es.

Option B has Charing Cross, Hillingdon, Northwick Park, St Mary's and West Middlesex hospitals as major hospitals, retaining A&Es facilities.

17,022 submissions were received, between 2 July and 8 October the majority of which came through online. Opponents of the closure are arguing that the consultation was poorly publicised and this response level is tiny given that over 2 million people were affected by the changes. Over 9,000 of the responses came from a campaign organised by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

64% of those who responded to the question about the way healthcare is delivered agreed there were convincing reasons to change.

Ealing produced the highest number of submissions from the seven boroughs.

Three-quarters of those who responded to the consultation opposed both Option A (74%) and Option B (77%) which would reduce Ealing's facilities to a local as opposed to major hospital. The majority (57%) favoured option C - keeping Ealing as a major hospital.

 


Location

Support/

Oppose

Option A

%

Option B

%

Option C

%

Brent (A: 57*, B: 56*, C: 54*)

Support

49

23

24

Oppose

46

63

61

Ealing (A: 1,626, B: 1,580, C: 1,613)

Support

11

6

57

Oppose

74

77

27

Hammersmith and Fulham
(A: 283, B: 274, C: 273)

Support

45

26

14

Oppose

43

59

67

Harrow (A: 71*, B: 64*, C: 64*)

Support

58

17

16

Oppose

27

39

44

Hillingdon (A: 106, B: 97*, B: 97*)

Support

42

13

38

Oppose

38

58

36

Hounslow (A: 866, B: 734 C: 819)

Support

86

49

5

Oppose

10

31

89

Kensington and Chelsea (A: 216, B: 208, C: 208)

Support

93

8

 

 

 

 

 


Source: The Ipsos MORI report. Shows those submitting response forms and providing their postcode

NHS North West London say the changes will save money and improve care.

Mark Spencer, medical director for Shaping a healthier future, said: "The important thing for us to do now is to look at all the issues raised during the consultation and address them as we review and develop our proposals."

Opponents who have handed a petition in to Downing Street opposing the closure of the four units say the consultation process was flawed and are fearful for the future of local health care.

The health trust's final recommendations are expected to be considered by the secretary of state for health in February next year.

 

29th November 2012