Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Navin Shah: Expecting Harlesden people to use Northwick Park A&E is 'absurd' '

Navin Shah, Londoin Assembly member for Brent and Harrow has published this statement on the closure of Central Middlesex Accident and Emerency unit.

I marched on Saturday (15th September) with local residents to keep Central Middlesex Hospital open.

The NHS plans to demote four hospitals in North West London. The proposals recommend the closure of Accident and Emergency departments at Ealing, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals.

This would mean Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent and Ealing will be without A&E departments, and will affect the provision of health care in North West London. Other departments at risk in the affected hospitals include intensive care, emergency surgery, paediatrics and maternity units.

Neither closing A&E at Central Middlesex Hospital, nor restricting its opening hours makes any sense. From personal experience I can vouch for how overwhelmed and over-stretched the A&E at Northwick Park Hospital is.

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Since the very restricted opening of Alexandra Polytechnic the demand on A&E at Northwick Park Hospital has greatly increased. It is absurd to expect residents from the Southern parts of Brent like Harlesden to use Northwick Park Hospital given the, very poor public transport links. I would like this ill conceived closure proposal to be withdrawn, until this happens I am committed to fighting the closure plans to save local health services for the local community.
By Navin Shah AM
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous18 September 2012 at 15:46

    It's impossible for any UK politician, of any party, to avoid publicly opposing A&E closures. But that is not always the right thing to do.

    We should expand facilities at some A&Es in London, and close the rest, replacing them with 24-hour injury clinics, for walk-in patients.

    With better hospitals for ambulance cases, more of us Londoners would stay alive.

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  2. Anonymous18 September 2012 at 18:11

    Let's have investment in community services, including health and social care and transport, before closing chunks of hospital provision. There is no evidence that anyone is ensuring a direct bus service between CMH and alternative A&E provision eg Northwick Park. It would cost £12 each way to get from CMH to Northwick Park - a hefty cost for even those in decently paid jobs and impossible for those who are not.

    What about longer waiting times in remaining A&E? I don't see waiting times being reduced as a result of A&E closures.

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