Healthcare for London

Ilsa Martin, Wilson Chowdhry and Rajeshri Chouhan organisors of your protest

Please join us for our protest at King George Hospital this Saturday 21st November from 12:00 - 14:00 on Barley Lane (near entrance to hospital). We are campaigning against a potential reduction in A&E Services which is a regressive step by Redbridge PCT and could lead to an increase in fatalities. Read more here.

To be fair to our Primary Care trust I include a copy of the "Case for Change" document and the Fact File produced by the Redbridge NHS Primary Care Trust. This new programme of potential cuts is termed Health for North East London.

I have been asked by the NHS, why we have decided to hold the protest before the official consultation period. I explained to them that we in Redbrige are early interventionists and that we recognise that this battle for retention of services will be more difficult than the last. It is imperative that our community should illustrate our apprehension to this diabolical and rather contrived scheme from the outset. The failure of the "Fit for the Future" programme was based on non-consultation. The PCT have covered their backs this time (it seems they have consulted with doctors and will be consulting with residents), however, they will have an even harder task to action the proposed eradication of A&E facility at King George, this time round as our community has experienced this situation before and is more prepared. We have galvanised ourselves before and succeeded in our mission- now we need to show equal alacrity.

Last night at the meeting attended by Heather O'Meara a large number of visitors attended. I was held up at an Area 6 Committee Meeting and could not attend. I have been informed my MP Lee Scott of Ilford North that the overall premise that arose at the meeting was that the Public and he are not convinced and they will not support any cuts to services at King George Hospital. MP Lee Scott would have liked to attend our Protest but has another fixed appointment. He has indicated his support for our Protest and will be providing me with some words to read to visitors to our protest.

Isla Martin raised an intersting point with me:

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"When A&E facilities are local more peopel are likely to use their own vehicles to attend the hospital. Longer distances could result in more burden on London Ambulances, will this not reduce their effectiveness, ability to respond and reciprocally reduce the survival rates of sufferers"

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A point well made and one that is often overlooked. "Local Services for Local People" is what we are campaigning for!