Ealing a step nearer Judicial Review on hospital downgrading

Ealing Council has secured an oral hearing at the High Court on Wednesday, 9 October as it presses for a judicial review (JR) of plans to downgrade four local hospitals.

The council initially applied for a JR in March after the NHS approved plans to shut A&E departments and downgrade other services at Ealing, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals despite increasing demand for emergency services.

This application was turned down so the council sought the oral hearing to press its case. If it is successful at the oral hearing, the council will be able to pursue a full JR.

Councillor Julian Bell, leader of the council, said: "The fight to ensure local people have the health services they deserve goes on. We will present our case forcibly at the oral hearing and pursue all other opportunities to ensure there is proper consideration of our serious concerns about what amounts to the largest experiment in NHS history.”

Concerns about the safety of the NHS plans and the ability of remaining services to cope have been raised by local campaigners as well as the council. The NHS has itself admitted that 'blue light' journeys to hospital will be longer for one in three patients if the plans go ahead.

The council has also referred the issue to the secretary of state for health, Jeremy Hunt MP, who responded by ordering an independent panel to review the NHS plans. The panel’s report will be presented to Mr Hunt by 13 September and his decision is expected around 40 days later.

Decision on Harlesden Incinerator deferred

Outside Ealing Town Hall this evening

The Ealing Planning Committee tonight deferred a decision on the proposd Harlesden Incinerator after councillors expressed concern that they did not have full enough information to make a decision. This was particularly the case with the Council's expert on  some of the chemistry involved in emissions and air quality being on leave.

Councillors were particularly concerned that the Regulatory Officers from Ealing, Brent and Hammrsmith and Fulham had all expressed, to different degrees, opposition to the plans.

Planning Officers had argued that because the plans would be reviewed by both the London Mayor and the Secretary of State that they did not sufficient grounds to recommend rejection although they recognised that it was a contentious application which raised serious health and safety issues.

Councillors gave short shrift to officers' argument that the impact of the existing Power Day facility close to the site could not be taken into consideration, and questioned why the site had been chosen when the survey carried out by the West London Waste Authority for suitable waste processing sites had failed to shortlist the Harlesden/Willesden site because there were 'ample' more suitable alternatives available.

It became very clear that councillors were determined to get cast iron guarantees on the facility's safety and pollution caused by lorry movements and were not satisfied with the reassurances they had received.

The decision will now go to a further committee meeting by which time further and better information should be available which both sides will be able to deploy.

Urgent call to stop the Harlesden Incinerator

Urgent message from The Island Triangle Residents' Association (TITRA)  

STOP THE DUMP!

Planning Decision

Wednesday August 14th

EALING COUNCIL ARE 

RECOMMENDING APPROVAL

• The incinerator will burn 198,000 tonnes of  waste every year, just 200  yards from TITRA home
• Smelly waste will arrive by road (130 lorries per day) along Old Oak Lane,Channel Gate Road

PROTEST Outside Ealing Town Hall at 6.15pm on Wednesday August 14th

ATTEND The Planning Committee immediately afterwards, Ealing Town Hall 7pm

COMPLAIN CALL: Ealing Planning 020 8825 6600
email: planning@ealing.gov.uk

Clean Power's application:  PP/2012/3267 'Planning Application for Energy Recovery Centre, Channel Gate Road, NW10 6UQ'

Community mobilises for clean air and no incinerator

Mark Walker of TITRA speaks to the Planning Committee. He is interrupted by the noise of a lorry accessing the proposed site. There will be many lorries  if the proposal is approved.

Local residents came out in force this morning to greet Ealing councillors who were making a site visit to the proposed Harlesden Incinerator development. Representives of TITRA (The Island Triangle Residents Assocation) spoke to the councillors and will be addressing the Planning Committee at Ealing Town Hall on Wednesday August 14th as will Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala who represents the Stonebridge ward which is close to the site.

There will be a demonstration outside the Ealing Town Hall on Wednesday from 6.15pm.

Harlesden Incinerator: Action Tomorrow and Wednesday

Local residents are being urged to get down to Channel Gate Road in Park Royal LOCATION for 11am tomorrow (Saturday) morning when there is a visit to the proposed Harlesden Incinerator site by Ealing Planning Committee. Opponents of the incinerator want a massive turnout to show councillors the strength of feeling in the area.

This will be followed by a demonstration and lobby outside Ealing Town Hall LOCATION at 6.15pm on Wednesday August 14th before the Planning Committee meets to make its decision.

Details of the planning application Reference PP/2012/3267 can be found HERE

The campaign can be followed on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

Organise for upcoming decision on Harlesden Incinerator

It's funny isn't it, how crucial decisions affecting the lives of local people are often made in the dead days of the summer school holidays? Following Barnet Council's go ahead for the controversial tower block city on the edges of the Welsh Harp, Ealing Council will decide on the equally controversial 'Harlesden Incinerator' on August 14th. DETAILS

The plans for yet another waste facility in an area which borders Brent but where the decision is made by a different local council (as with the Welsh Harp), has met widespread opposition, not just for the impact on air quality in an area devoid of any 'green breathing spaces' but also in terms of the numbers of heavy trucks that will come trundling through the local streets.

It appears likely that the intention is to rubber stamp plans which did not even figure in the options outlined in the grand West London Waste Authority plan.

There is a Harlesden Town meeting on Monday August 12th and perhaps that will be an organising opportunity for a vociferous Brent presence at the meeting on the 14th.

Brent Labour shrinks from supporting Ealing on hospital reorganisation

A motion referring the Shaping a Healthier Future proposals to the Secretary of State, moved by Cllr Claudia Hector, failed to find a seconder at tonight's Brent's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The proposals will mean the closure of Central Middlesex A&E.

At the Labour councillors' pre-meeting an alternative motion was amended so that it read that the Committee 'noted' Ealing Council's decision to refer the proposals in case it should appear that Brent Council supported their action. Instead the anodyne motion from Cllr Pat Harrison, seconded by Cllr Helga Gladbaum, said that 'it was right'  that the proposals should be 'thoroughly examined'  and sought assurances that services would not be  reduced or closed  unless changes in infrastructure had 'proved to deliver successful outcomes for residents'. This was passed with Lib Dem support from Cllr Ann Hunter.

The motion was in stark contrast to the earlier passionate call for arms from Sarah Cox of Brent Fightback and Brent SWP who told the Labour councillors that they were heirs to the creators of the National Health Service and, reflecting the commitment of the recently released Spirit of 45,  it was not too late for them to stand up for the NHS, and for the people of Harlesden and Stonebridge, and refer the  decision to the Secretary of State.

Her speech was loudly applauded by Lib Dem councillor Barry Cheese, who went on to make his own heart-felt intervention from first hand sources about the inadequacies of the ambulance service at Northwick Park. He had been told by ambulance workers that two stroke victims in separate ambulances had been delayed treatment because the vehicles had been behind 12 ambulances already on the hospital ramp. As presentations continued he repeatedly called out condemning privatisation. He seems to have moved to the left of the Labour group - which, let's face it, isn't hard.

There was a tedious presentation from NW London NHS on 'Improving Healthcare for people in Brent' that nearly had Cllr Gladbaum chewing the carpet in frustration.  However,  embedded in it was the tiniest hint that there may be slightest of chances that the Central Middlesex A&E decision may only be about 98% final.

One slide read:

CENTRAL MIDDLESEX A&E

• The NWL Hospitals Trust has set up a project board to consider future  options for the A&E (includes senior representatives and clinicians from the trust and stakeholders)
• Commissioners expect to be fully involved in any decisions regarding the future of the A&E and would require reassurance regarding any future change in services around:

The reasons for any changes and the evidence behind this view
The likely impact on neighbouring services (eg Northwick park and Imperial)
The alternatives that had been considered
The monitoring that would be put in place
The involvement of stakeholders inc the OSC

The litmus test is whether a change of service would be safer that the current service

I read this as an opportunity for campaigners to continue to put on the pressure and make the case for the retention of the A&E. What we should also be saying though is that the 'current service' at Central Middlesex needs to be strengthened and its running down halted. This view is somewhat reinforced by news that the number of ambulances being directed to Central Middlesex had increased recently.

So let's not give up just yet - keep up the pressure.

Action needed to save Central Middlesex A&E

It is sometimes thought that only the residents in the south of Brent and neighbouring areas of Ealing are concerned about the closure of Central Middlesex Hospital. However residents in the north of the borough, served by Northwick Park Hospital A&E are also affected as this Guest Blog shows:

I hear that Ealing Council's scrutiny panel has voted unanimously to refer a decision to downgrade A&E departments in north-west London to an independent panel and wonder what you think about the decision to close the A & E departments?

If Central Middlesex, Ealing, Charing Cross and Hammersmith A & E departments are to close what impact is this going to have on the whole of densely populated and hugely congested West London????

Ealing Council are campaigning hard against this decision and so far I can only see Navin Shah, London Assembly member for Brent and Harrow (see this LINK) campaigning against the closures I can’t understand why the local councillors and our MP Barry Gardiner* are not campaigning against the closures too?

Navin Shah's press release LINK said:

A&Es will be forced to cater for an extra 120,000 residents on average each. In 2010 there were 32 A&E departments in London, but only 24 would remain under these plans."

"The 32 A&E’s served a population of 8.17million Londoners, an average of 255,000 people each. Reducing to 24 A&Es will mean they have to cover 340,000 each, with London’s population due to rise to 9million by 2020. This will increase the number of people each A&E is due to cover to 375,000 residents - an increase of 120,000 for each A&E. This assumes that no further closures take place.

As you know in recent years every single bit of space in Wembley has had flats built on it, bringing more and more residents to Wembley and more and more traffic congestion.  Add to this the new designer outlet and French school coming to Wembley Park - these will both bring more people and more traffic to the area.

What about Wembley Stadium with 90,000 capacity plus staff and Wembley Arena with 12,500 capacity plus staff, these bring another 102,500 plus people to the area when both venues are holding events - should there be a major incident when both venues are full to capacity how would Northwick Park A & E cope???  How would emergency vehicles cope with getting people through Wembley to Northwick Park or through to the other remaining A & E departments???  When the stadium was opened traffic schemes were put in place to get people away from the stadium to the North Circular to try and stop the congestion in Wembley so would it not make sense to keep Central Middlesex A & E open???? 

Also we hear that Central Middlesex A & E will close this June well before the new larger A & E is supposed to open at Northwick Park – how can this be allowed to happen when it clearly says that the A & E departments will close in the next 2-3 years after the new larger A & E departments are open???

My friend recently broke his toe and went to Northwick Park A & E at 10.00pm on a Monday night and was told he would have to wait 5-6 hours before he was seen – he decided not to wait and went back the next day and had to wait 4 hours to be seen.  How will Northwick Park A & E cope when everyone has to go there?  Will the hospitals be reducing parking charges for people that have to wait for hours and hours in the A & E departments to be seen??? Will there be improved public transport - if you have to go there in the middle of the night there will be no public transport available.

What impact will all the extra traffic have on the area with people having to travel further for treatment - not very good for the environment!

*Barry Gardiner says Central Middlesex A & E is not in his constituency but a lot of the people who will be affected by its closure are his constituents!!!

 Since this guess posting was sent to me Cllr Lincoln Beswick  (Labour, Harlesden) has written in the Brent and Kilburn Times regarding the closure of Central Middlesex A&E and other Coalition policies::

All these areas that this affects must stand up, be more forceful, challenge nationally elected members and jointly have a march for freedom from this atrocious, blatant, obvious and odious decision. Those elected and in opposition should not stay silent on these issues.

This requires joint action by all those who are affected - elected politicians, health service, trade unionists, general community and media services

A first practical action will be if Brent Council decides to refer back the decision to close Central Middlesex A&E at the meeting of the Health Partnerships Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on Tuesday March 19th 7pm Brent Town Hall. LINK

The public can request to speak at the meeting. The contact is: 

Lisa Weaver, Democratic Services Officer  (020) 8937 1358 Email: lisa.weaver@brent.gov.uk

HS2 or Incinerator - what a choice for Willesden Junction!

Well, here's a dilemma!

The Brent and Kilburn Times is reporting LINK that the Willesden Junction site ear-marked for an incinerator may be required by HS2 to transport waste from nearby tunnelling operations.HS2 under its safeguarding rights would have prior claim to the site.

Brent Greens are opposed to both the incinerator proposal and HS2 - perhaps we should campaign for a much needed green space on the site or an Alternative Technology Centre

A new dangerous neighbour in Kensal Green

Mums against Harlesden Incinerator

This Soapbox has been posted  on the West London Mums website LINK

Contributed by: Virginia Rowe

Be afraid! Be very afraid! A new dangerous neighbour has set its sights on West London.

Yes mummies, daddies and kiddies, disturbing plans are afoot to build a giant waste incinerator at Willesden Junction, with devastating effects for family-friendly neighbourhoods for miles around.  So what would we be looking forward to if Ealing planning department give this the green light? (And folks, they really are leaning towards giving this the green light…)

Four 25 metre chimneys chugging out burnt toxic fumes 24/7 + in excess of 60 heavy duty trucks rumbling in and out of the area every day and night, polluting the lives of not only the poor residents that live on the doorstep of the proposed site, but also the whole area around Kensal Rise, Queens Park, North Kensington, Willesden Green, Harlesden, Ealing, Acton….. all family-friendly neighbourhoods.

Incinerator chimneys emit dioxins and heavy metals, associated with cancer, hormonal issues, reduced immune system capacity, effects on foetal development, lung and kidney disease and nervous system problems. These emissions travel for miles!

Despite mass public appeal, this planning application, submitted by a property company located in an offshore tax-haven, is actually being favoured by Ealing Council who will be making their decision on whether to go ahead with it on 19th December.

Few local residents have been informed or consulted on this toxic plan and the wording in the proposal is designed to deliberately mislead those who read it, using smoke and mirrors and a whole array of PR new speak.  At no point do they use the word ‘incinerator’ even though the ‘pyrolysis’ part of the plant, which will be burning gases, is actually deemed an incinerator by the European Union Waste Directive.

This would ruin our neighbourhoods and put our collective health at risk. There is no place for incinerators in highly populated residential areas. It is inhumane. And taking into account the overwhelming public response against them – undemocratic.

Say NO to our West London neighbourhood being turned into a toxic waste dump by a tax-haven based company that cares nothing for our area.

Contact your local MP, councillors and most importantly vote NO to the NW10 incinerator here:

Virginia is a creative director living and working in Kensal Rise. Follow her campaign against the proposed west London waste incinerator on twitter @NOincineratorNo

Brent Greens oppose Harlesden incinerator plans

The site

Brent Green Party has joined opponents of the Energy Recovery Plant (locally known more directly as the Harlesden incinerator)  proposed for the Willesden Junction site on the borders of Brent.  They have sent the following objection to Ealing Council Planning Committee  LINK

CONTEXT

Brent Green Party is concerned about the negative environmental impact of the major part of the planning application, relating to the pyrolysis plant. We do not have equal objection to the anaerobic digestion part of the plant, since we recognise the potential benefit of utilizing CH4 released by biomass for energy rather than putting it in landfill, where it would be released anyway, contributing to climate change.

However, we cannot support the application taken as a whole and state our OBJECTIONS here:

AIR QUALITY

-         Insufficient modelling of potential air quality impacts and their assessment and foreclosure of the need for additional health impact assessments in line with Environmental Agency stipulations.

-         Insufficient assessment of the need for appropriate mitigation measures in light of potential air quality impacts at the planning application stage in line with EA stipulations.

CO2

-         Pyrolysis produces bio-oil and syngas which when combusted for energy, produce vast amounts of CO2, wholly inconsistent with the achievement of EU emission targets.

WATER COURSES

-         Contamination of London canals from run off pollutants during construction, not sufficiently mitigated by drainage measures.

-         Region is water stressed in terms of supply of mains water and site water demand will exacerbate this, in excess to the rainwater-harvesting techniques designed to reduce onsite mains water demand.

PEDESTRIANS

-         During construction, adverse effects on users of playground in Harley road, residential properties and pedestrians in Old Oak Lane Conservation Area, users of the Grand Union Canal and pedestrians walking through Metro Multi Trading Estate.

CONSTRUCTION

-         Adverse noise pollution during construction.

-         Medium to low risk impact of dust generated during construction.

-         Potential for ground contamination during construction period.

-         Potential for ground contamination from storage/handling of oils, chemicals & waste materials from the new plant, not met by proposal to place in storage facilities.

For these reasons we strongly object to the proposal in its current form.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Shahrar Ali, Spokesperson for Planning and Environment
Brent Green Party, PO Box 54786, London NW9 1FL
Contact shahrar.ali@greenparty.org.uk

Powney opposes Harlesden waste plant

Cllr James Powney has blogged his opposition to the Harlesden Waste Plant LINK on grounds very similar to those submitted by Brent planning officers to Ealing Council:

Having gone into more detail on the proposed waste plant to the south of Harlesden, I have now written to Ealing Planners objecting to the plans.  The objections that I consider valid on planning grounds are:

1) the proposal ignores zoning of waste activities outlined in the West London Waste Plan
2) the proposal claims reduced vehicle movements, but this is very implausible, and Harlesden Town Centre suffers from this to an extreme in any case
3) there are significant odour pollution issues that are not clearly deat with
4) there are also noise pollution issues yet to be addressed
5) air quality is likely to suffer.

I encourage all other  Kensal Green and Harlesden residents to object.  The Ealing officer responsible is Peter Lee at leeP@ealing.gov.uk.

Harlesden Town Team call for informed debate on Willesden Junction waste plant

The Harlesden Town Team issued this statement today:

A Statement on the Proposed Energy Recovery Centre at Willesden Junction

Harlesden Town Team were disappointed to learn about the proposed Energy Recovery Centre at Willesden Junction only after formal consultation by LB Ealing had ended. Although the site is closer to many more Harlesden residents than Ealing ones, Harlesden Town Team were not formally consulted. Brent Council planning officers were notified.

At this stage Harlesden Town Team has no view for or against the energy recovery centre. What we seek is an informed debate so that all Harlesden residents who could possibly be affected by the development are informed and their views sought. We expect that this number of households is considerably more than the 1,000 leafleted in the consultation, as the majority of Harlesden (Town)'s 10,000 households are directly down-wind.

We recognise the danger of much ill-informed comment that is starting to circulate and we therefore believe that wider explanation and consultation is urgently required.

To this end we shall discuss the development proposals at the next Harlesden Town Team meeting on Monday 12th November (Salvation Army Hall, 6.30pm). We expect representative of the developers, Ealing and Brent Council planners and local councillors from East Acton, Kensal Green and Harlesden to attend as well as those Harlesden residents that actually live in Ealing.

If, at the end of the meeting, a majority of our members consider it appropriate for the Town Team to take a position, then we shall do so.

It is worth noting that, earlier this year, Harlesden Town Team helped facilitate a consultation on changes to Harlesden High Street which covered over 10,000 households and achieved a 10% response rate.

Brent Council wields its cudgels over Harlesden incinerator

A Harley Road back garden - sitting out amongst waste smells soon?

 Brent Council has told Ealing Council that if they go ahead with  the plans for an energy from waste facility ('Harlesden incinerator') on its border at Willesden Junction  it will 'object strongly to the proposals until satisfactory information has been provided to enable an accurate assessment of the implications of the proposal on the Borough of Brent and its residents'.

The plans are due to go to Ealing Planning Committee this month but have recently been modified to increase the volume of waste processed at the site from 148,000 tonnes per annum to 195,000. Brent's comments relate to the original proposal and so they have requested that 'an additional re-consultation exercise be undertaken to notify all local residents of the changes and to allow for additional time to review and comment on the implications of the increase'.

One of Brent's key objections is that the proposals don't comply with the West London Waste Plan which set out potential sites a year ago LINK . The proposed site was not listed then and Brent argue that the Willesden Junction site should  be refused planning permission as it has not been demonstrated that the other approved sites are unsuitable.

Brent argue that residential properties in Harley Road, Harlesden are down wind from the site under prevailing weather conditions and thus the  plans would have an impact on residents in terms of air quality, odours, operational noise and site traffic.

A full copy of Brent Council's response can be found on the excellent Harleden Town blog HERE

Flaming Hell! We don't want this up our Junction!

Photo: Ealing Times

Residents from Harlesden in Brent and Park Royal in Ealing converged on Willesden Junction station on Saturday to protest against plans to build an incinerator/anaerobic digester at the Willesden Junction Freightliner Depot.

The Ealing Times LINK reported that residents were opposed to Clean Power's plans, especially as they have already been fighting for clear air since the nearby Power Day Recycling Waste plant opened.

The Ealing Times reports:

Mark Walker, 48 of Stoke Place Road, said: “It’s only over the last couple of years, with the Environment Agency working with Powerday’s management and local residents, reporting smells and incidents, that we’ve got anything like acceptable levels of odour. People aren’t happy about it.”

He is concerned the area will face a further problem of unwanted smells from Clean Power’s development, on the opposite side of Old Oak Lane to the recycling plant.

“People feel like they are hemmed in, like we’re almost a dumping ground for these big factories,” he said.

Despite the short period before the plans go to Ealing Planning Committee in November, Brent Council has said that it will review the environmental impact of the proposed plant on Brent residents; its impact on road conditions particularly in and around Harlesden town centre, and its strategic impact on the regeneration of the wider Park Royal/Old Oak Area in relation to the possible HS2 link station. Following the review they will send a response to Ealing Council.


.

Harlesden Incinerator protest tomorrow

There is a pop-up protest, jointly with Ealing residents, about the proposed "Harlesden Waste Incinerator", at 11am prompt tomorrow (Saturday) at the entrance to Willesden Junction station approach.

Ealing Council is set to approve this large waste plant in November, made up of:

    - an incinerator (not called that, for PR reasons), [see www.ukwin.org] and

    - "anaerobic digestors" (big tanks of decomposing food, to produce compost).

(The "advanced conversion technology facility" mentioned in the planning application IS an incinerator, because it involves

        - dustcart and lorry waste IN

                    (likely to be commercial, rather than domestic,

                    but may change), and

        - ash OUT.

Houses in Old Oak Lane will have dustcart traffic "all day" on the access road, which is only metres from their homes and gardens. The plant capacity is c150,000 tonnes/year.

Some of the dustcarts and lorries will pass through Harlesden. I suspect this will vary from month to month, depending on what contracts the waste plant can sign.

.

Please pass this link on to others.

Photo op. is at 11am on Saturday, Willesden Junction Approach (junction with Old Oak Lane / Station Road).

Refs:

http://www.pam.ealing.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=152202

http://parkroyaltown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/wembley-matters-brent-greens-stopping.html

http://harlesdentown.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/planned-for-harlesden-incinerator-site.html

The 'lost' letter that lost Harlesden its voice on incinerator

This is the letter that Brent Planning Department lost over the summer and did not find until it was too late for the Council, or residents, to have a say in Ealing Council's consultation on an incinerator/anaerobic-digester at Willesden Junction Freightliner site.

We need to know urgently what the Planning Department will do to ensure that it fulfils its duty to represent the interests of Brent residents over such a controversial proposal.

Brent Council MUST do more to fight A&E closure

Ealing Council continues to put Brent in the shade as far as fighting for the health care of its local community goes. Brent Council has passed a resolution opposing the closure of Central Middlesex A&E and leader Muhammed Butt has agreed to speak at the march on September 15th but that's about it.

Ealing Council has been actively leading their local campaign and delivered leaflets and posters to every household i the brough. They are distributing 25,000 leaflets in the top 9 community languages and advertising on bus shelters and buses. A further household leaflet distribution will be made to advertise the planned March.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has also been proactive as can be seen in the extract from their website below:

Join the 'Save Hammersmith' campaign

Hammersmith & Fulham Council is urging people to join it in campaigning to save Hammersmith hospital's A&E department.
The council says:

• Closing the A&E at Hammersmith could leave large numbers of residents dangerously far away from emergency care.
• No evidence has been provided that moving services to St Marys, in Paddington, would improve outcomes for residents.
• With thousands of news homes and jobs coming to the borough, we need more local capacity, not less.

Save our hospitals - public meeting

- Do you agree with the NHS plans to downgrade local hospitals?
- Are you worried about having to travel out of borough to receive urgent medical care?
- This is your chance to question NHS bosses and have your say!  
Hammersmith Town Hall
Tuesday, September 18
7:00pm

» Download a summary of the NHS hospitals proposals (pdf 109KB)
» Download a map of proposed NHS hospital closures (pdf 527KB)
» Message from Cllr Marcus Ginn, cabinet member for community care

Lend you voice to our campaign:

Take part in the NHS consultation - closes October 8, 2012
Have your say

Read your stories

Sign our petitions:

Sign our petition

Share your stories

Like us on Facebook

Volunteer to collect signatures:

Contact us for a campaign pack by emailing us at savehammersmith@lbhf.gov.uk.

Download petitions:

» Download a Save Hammersmith hospital poster (pdf 16KB)
» Download a postcard to send to your doctor (pdf 54KB)
» Download a printable petition to pass to your neighbours  (pdf 81KB)

Send us your stories:

We want the NHS to understand what their plans mean to our lives by publishing your stories. Have our hospitals saved yur life or helped a loved-one? Email us your story and a picture: savehammersmith@lbhf.gov.uk.

Read and comment:

» Waiting times to soar under 'half baked' A&E closure plan
» Charing Cross health services to ‘fit in a gym’
» Expert to dissect NHS hospital downgrade plan
» Closing stroke centre 'will put lives at risk'
» No show for botched NHS road show
» Doctors 'sceptical' on A&E closures
» H&F residents speak out on hospital cuts
» Battle to save local hospital services begins
» Save Charing Cross hospital
» Councillors quiz health bosses over accident and emergency closure plans
» Mass A&E closure threat across west London
» Charing Cross downgrade a reality - vascular surgery moves to St Mary's
» Warning over brain surgery plans - brain surgeons move to St Mary's
» Support Charing Cross - major trauma centre - Charing Cross loses out to St Mary's

This is a chance for Brent Council to try and recover some of its credibility by showing that it is capable of standing up and mounting a strong campaign in partnership with the local community.  The e-petition urging it to do just that is HERE

 The petition reads:

We, the undersigned, petition Brent Council to do all in its power to prevent the closure of the Accident and Emergency Department at Central Middlesex Hospital. This will include making the case against the closure and seeking support for this position on all appropriate bodies on which the council is represented.

SUPPORTING INFORMATION

> North West London NHS is consulting on proposals in 'Shaping A Healthier Future' which would mean that Central Middlesex Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department, already closed overnight, will close for good. This is likely to be the first step in the complete down-grading of the hospital and its potential closure in the long term.

> The hospital serves some of the most deprived wards of South Brent which have poor transport links with Northwick Park Hospital, the likely alternative A & E.

> The area is the location of major roads including the North Circular and the Harrow Road; railway lines including the Euston-Birmingham main line, Overground, Bakerloo, Chiltern, Metropolitan and Jubilee lines, a major industrial area in Park Royal; as well as waste management and other potentially pollution causing processing plants in the Neasden area. The area also includes the major venues at Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena.

> All of the above are potential locations for major incidents necessitating ready access to an Accident and Emergency facility.

> Ealing Council has already committed itself to actively fighting the proposals and Brent Council should do the same.

Ealing Council shows Brent the way on hospitals campaign

There is an e-petition on the Brent Council website calling on the council to do 'all in its power' to oppose the plans for the reorganisation of hospital services in the area, including the closure of Central Middlesex A&E. The petition can be signed HERE

If any Brent councillors need help with ideas on how a local council can get behind the campaign they should look on the Ealing Council site where there is a Save Our Hospitals page http://www.ealing.gov.uk/soh

It includes campaign materials for the public to use:

Campaign materials

On this page you can download various materials to help you show your support and take part in the campaign to save our local hospitals.

• A pre-prepared letter (word) that you can print and send to the NHS medical director responsible for the proposals (no stamp required)
• Poster (pdf) and banner (pdf) that can be downloaded for you to display in your window
• A pre-prepared letter (word) to send to your own GP
• Download copies of the petition leaflet (pdf) which you can use to obtain signatures of your family, friends or neighbours if they are unable to complete the petition online. This can be returned using the Freepost address on the leaflet.
• You can also download a separate petition form (pdf) if you want to get more actively involved in the campaign and obtain signatures for our petition more widely from within your community.
• A map (pdf) of the hospitals affected by the proposed closures.