Letter for Ilford Recorder

 Sent Earlier Today

Dear Letters Editor

 

Following our campaign meeting at Redbridge Town Hall on 7th July, we again call on Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health, to look into releasing additional funding for a new wing at King George and additional staff, instead of the proposed £61M funding cuts and 115 jobs lost shown in the March 2025 Hospitals' board papers.
There is also well-established evidence, both nationally and internationally, that lengthy waiting times in A&E departments are related to worse medical outcomes.  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found:
“The relative difference in the risk of post-discharge death after 12 hours in A&E compared with two hours in A&E was greatest for: younger patients (for example, the odds at 12 hours were 4.6 times higher than at two hours for patients aged 20 years”
In March 2025, the number of patients waiting more 12 hours in A&E was 1,851 at Queens and and 1,050 at King George Hospital.
 We say these long waits in our hospitals are causing unnecessary deaths.  In order to cope with existing and future increasing demand, a new wing at King George, adequately staffed, is essential to improve the health outcomes in our neighbourhoods.
At the July 2025 BHRUT board meeting, Mr Trainer can be seen on the BHRUT recording saying he is considering a study into whether 12 hour waits are increasing death rates for young patients. We urge Mr Trainer to commission a study into 12 hour wait deaths because we expect the study to replicate the ONS finding. 
More information about our campaign including research quoted above is at the Save King George Hospital Blog.

 

Regards

 

Bob Archer - Redbridge Trades Council

Councillor Noor Jahan Begum  Ilford Independents 

Marwan Elfallah Ilford Independents 

Ashburn Holder – Liberal Democrats

Glenn Holmes

Andy Walker - TUSC

RoseMary Warrington – Green Party

 

Report from New Wing for King George Meeting on 7th July

 Thank you to everyone attending, the video of the meeting is below:

The photo is 

Next thing to do is a letter for next weeks local papers. More on this soon.

Questions for BHRUT Board meeting

 I sent a letter earlier this week support for a new wing at King George.

I don't ask you for your support for the campaign, nor the claims that long A&E waits cause unnecessary death  instead, do you agree that the BHRUT statistics at March 2025  mentioned are correct?

Letter follows

Dear Letters Editors,

Following our meeting at Redbridge Town Hall on 7^th July, we again call on Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health, to look into releasing additional funding for a new wing at King George and additional staff, instead of the proposed £61M funding cuts and 115 jobs lost shown in the March 2025 Hospitals' board papers.

Critics may say that the country cannot afford the capital outlay and the long-term increase in funding that the wing and additional staffing would incur.   However, we say a look at recent IMF data shows France spending 56% of its national wealth each year on public services, while the UK spends only 44%. 

There is also well-established evidence, both nationally and internationally, that lengthy waiting times in A&E departments are related to worse medical outcomes.  The Office for National Statistics found:

“The relative difference in the risk of post-discharge death after 12 hours in A&E compared with two hours in A&E was greatest for: younger patients (for example, the odds at 12 hours were 4.6 times higher than at two hours for patients aged 20 years), those in London (2.7 times higher), those who attended A&E for reasons to do with their eyes (7.9 times higher), and those who were not admitted to hospital for inpatient care after visiting A&E (2.8 times higher)”

In March 2025, the number of patients waiting more 12 hours in A&E was 1,851 at Queens and and 1,050 at King George Hospital.

 We say these long waits in our hospitals are causing unnecessary deaths.  In order to cope with existing and future increasing demand, a new wing at King George, adequately staffed, is essential to improve the health outcomes in our neighbourhoods.

More information about our campaign including research quoted above is at the Save King George Hospital 

My second question is:

"In light of the Office for National Statistics finding that young people were at higher risk of dying if they waited for more 12 hours in A&E will this board re-visit an earlier study on 12 hour deaths which focused on the elderly? The ONS finding is : “The relative difference in the risk of post-discharge death after 12 hours in A&E compared with two hours in A&E was greatest for: younger patients (for example, the odds at 12 hours were 4.6 times higher. The ONS report is at Association between time spent in emergency care and 30-day post-discharge mortality, England - Office for National Statistics https://share.google/71ihtjfsc7EQNZZuV

£100 fine today for campaigning for NHS outside Redbridge Town Hall

To my surprise, earlier today when campaigning outside Redbridge Town Hall with Ashburn Holder, I was fined £100 for putting up a poster calling for a new wing at King George on the Town Hall railings and leafleting for a new wing for King George public meeting at 8pm on 7th July. I will appeal against the order saying campaigning for a new wing at King George is not advertising per the extract from the order on the Council Website London Borough of Redbridge Anti- Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 PART 4, SECTION 59 Ilford Town Centre, Loxford/Valentines/Clementswood/ Barkingside/Cranbrook Wards Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) THE ORDER No person should affix or distribute any forms of advertising in the restricted area. This includes the advertisements for those offering personal services this includes the advertisement of telephone numbers. Offences under this Public Space Protection Order Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the terms of the Order is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on a standard scale. A police constable, a Police Community Support Officer, an authorised council officer or persons authorised by the council may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice to any persons they have reason to believe has committed an offence. (S.68) A Fixed Penalty Notice of £100.00 will be issued to offenders. Payment of the Fixed Penalty Notice will discharge any liability to conviction for an offence under Section 67 (1) of the Act. The Order may be cited as the London Borough of Redbridge Ilford Town Centre, Valentines, Cranbrook, Loxford, Clementswood and Barkingside Wards Public Space Protection Order and shall come into force on 17th October 2023 and remain in force for a period of three years until October 2026.

I wrote this all Councillors in Redbridge earlier today

Dear Councillors

This taken from my blog on the save King George Hospital blog earlier today.

“To my surprise, earlier today when campaigning outside Redbridge Town Hall with Ashburn Holder, I was fined £100 for putting up a poster calling for a new wing at King George on the Town Hall railings and leafleting for a new wing for King George public meeting at 8pm on 7th July. I will appeal against the order saying campaigning for a new wing at King George is not advertising per the extract from the order on the Council Website

London Borough of Redbridge Anti- Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 PART 4, SECTION 59 Ilford Town Centre, Loxford/Valentines/Clementswood/ Barkingside/Cranbrook Wards Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) THE ORDER No person should affix or distribute any forms of advertising in the restricted area. This includes the advertisements for those offering personal services this includes the advertisement of telephone numbers. Offences under this Public Space Protection Order Any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with the terms of the Order is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on a standard scale. A police constable, a Police Community Support Officer, an authorised council officer or persons authorised by the council may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice to any persons they have reason to believe has committed an offence. (S.68) A Fixed Penalty Notice of £100.00 will be issued to offenders. Payment of the Fixed Penalty Notice will discharge any liability to conviction for an offence under Section 67 (1) of the Act. The Order may be cited as the London Borough of Redbridge Ilford Town Centre, Valentines, Cranbrook, Loxford, Clementswood and Barkingside Wards Public Space Protection Order and shall come into force on 17th October 2023 and remain in force for a period of three years until October” ENDs Extract, the blog includes a video of me being fined.

I say article 10 giving me a right to freedom of expression applies under the Human Rights Act. It used to be a Redbridge, and I expect British tradition that residents could leaflet outside the Town Hall.

The jargon for such campaigning is civic engagement and there is research to show that civic engagement works and is good for our community.

In the past I was part of a team that campaigned for years ito save King George A&E and leaflets and banners at the Town Hall were a big part of the campaign.

It strikes me that the Leader needs to intervene to stop the fine and order retraining for his enforcement team so they can tell the difference between a commercial flyer and a leaflet protected under under article 10 of the Human Rights Act.

Should you be supportive of my argument I would be grateful if you could write to the Leader. Council staff and the enforcement team objected to the banner, but only leafleting is mentioned in the penalty notice.

Regards

Andy Walker

New Wing Banner removed at Town Hall today

 

Per the video, Council staff, on the instruction of Redbridge Labour, removed our banner from the Town Hall railings. Should you agree this is unacceptable, perhaps you could make a contribution to the costs of hiring the Town Hall, banner and leaflets at https://gofund.me/caa63986

first draft of letter to Recorder to send after 7th July meeting

 Dear Letters Editors,

Following our meeting at Redbridge Town Hall on 7^th July, we again call on Wes Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health, to look into releasing additional funding for a new wing at King George and additional staff, instead of the proposed £61M funding cuts and 115 jobs lost shown in the March 2025 Hospitals' board papers.

Critics may say that the country cannot afford the capital outlay and the long-term increase in funding that the wing and additional staffing would incur.   However, we say a look at recent IMF data shows France spending 56% of its national wealth each year on public services, while the UK spends only 44%. 

There is also well-established evidence, both nationally and internationally, that lengthy waiting times in A&E departments are related to worse medical outcomes.  The Office for National Statistics found:

“The relative difference in the risk of post-discharge death after 12 hours in A&E compared with two hours in A&E was greatest for: younger patients (for example, the odds at 12 hours were 4.6 times higher than at two hours for patients aged 20 years), those in London (2.7 times higher), those who attended A&E for reasons to do with their eyes (7.9 times higher), and those who were not admitted to hospital for inpatient care after visiting A&E (2.8 times higher)”

In March 2025, the number of patients waiting more 12 hours in A&E was 1,851 at Queens and and 1,050 at King George Hospital.

 We say these long waits in our hospitals are causing unnecessary deaths.  In order to cope with existing and future increasing demand, a new wing at King George, adequately staffed, is essential to improve the health outcomes in our neighbourhoods.

More information about our campaign including research quoted above is at the Save King George Hospital Blog.

ENDs

IMF at Public Finances in Modern History - Government expenditure, percent of GDP

ONS study at Association between time spent in emergency care and 30-day post-discharge mortality, England - Office for National Statistics

International study at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6785211/

Flyer for 7th July new wing meeting at Redbridge Town Hall

 

Well done to Bob Archer for producing this.