Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Model Response to IRP based on MPs letter of 7th April

It would be great to get as many responses into the IRP as possible. Whilst individual ones are better than a model response, I know many people will be too busy to write a detailed letter. If you want to use a model: I suggest something along the lines of:


Dear Sir or Madam

I do not want King George Hospital A&E and maternity units closed for the reasons set out in the letter handed in by 8 MPs who visited 10 Downing St on 7April 2011. The text of the letter is at http://savekinggeorgehospital.blogspot.com/ 

please insert name and postal address the letter text is below. The IRP email is info@irpanel.org.uk 

The Rt Hon David Cameron MP
Prime Minister

10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

7 April 2011



Dear Prime Minister

We are writing to express our deepest concerns about proposals to close the A&E and maternity units at King George Hospital in Goodmayes, which both serve people in our constituencies and impact on other health facilities on which our constituents depend.

This move at this time will do real harm to local health services.  It will place unbearable pressure on the other Trust hospital, Queens in Romford, as well as nearby hospitals such as Whipps Cross in Leytonstone. Alternative community based facilities are simply not in place and are not of a good enough quality to act as substitutes to the services at King George.

This is a hospital Trust in trouble. It bears an ongoing historic debt, it is struggling to service the cost of a recent PFI and it has just been subject to a report in the public interest issued by the Audit Commission. The Regional health officials’ only response to these problems is to close services, simply worsening the healthcare offered to people in this part of North East London.

Queens Hospital is already struggling to cope with existing demand. Over Christmas the A&E was closed to all but the most urgent cases, ambulances were queuing round the block and local GPs were called in to help manage the patient load.

In May last year 99% of patients at King George A&E and 92% at Queens were treated within four hours. By the first week of January this year, that had dropped to 83% at King George and just over 61% at Queens.

Maternity services at both Queens and Whipps Cross are currently under investigation by the Care Quality Commission. Inspectors found that understaffing at Queens is putting mothers and babies at risk, and that maternity staff at Whipps Cross are struggling with unsustainable caseloads. We all have individual cases of poor quality care, leading in the worst instance to an unnecessary death of a mother and baby.

The area covered by the Trust has one of the fastest-growing populations in the country. 10,000 babies were born in Barking, Havering and Redbridge last year.


Births are growing at 500 more each year, as a result of both new housing developments on the Thames Gateway and a changing population in East London.

Local GPs strongly oppose the move and tens of thousands of our constituents across the whole of North East London have signed a petition against it.

The Secretary of State for Health has now referred the proposals to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel and will make a final decision in July. We welcome that, but would ask that you intervene to halt a closure which is driven by a desire by bureaucrats to cut costs at the expense of care in an area with huge health inequalities and already overstretched services.


Yours sincerely




Jon Cruddas MP       John Cryer MP         The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP




Mike Gapes MP         The Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP   Andrew Rosindell MP




Lee Scott MP             Angela Watkinson MP

Friday, April 15, 2011

Andy Walker submission to IRP

I make a video submission to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) and call upon Redbridge Council to use its extensive email list of around 20,000 addresses to make Redbridge residents and employees aware of the IRP process. The Council needs to be neutral on the issue but could list the Save for King George Hospital and Health for North East London Websites to allow people to make their own minds up. It seems that schools could pass on any email sent to parents as well. Articles in Redbridge Life and Redbridge I would be useful as well. Contact details for the IRP are listed in the about me section.

4th Set of 8 April Pics



3rd Set 8 April Pics



More 8 April Pics



2nd lot of 8 April Pics



8 April Pics



Paul Braham's Number 10 Pics from 7 April 3rd set of 2


Paul Braham's Number 10 Pics from 7 April 2nd set of 3



Paul Braham's Number 10 Pics from 7 April 1st set of 3



Friday, April 8, 2011

Route of March Today

We leave Queens at 4.05 and go to Ilford Town Hall via Crow Lane, doing a right at Whalebone Lane and a left at Chadwell Heath High Road and into Ilford staying on the High Road.

We will be going at a fast pace aiming to be at Ilford for 5.45pm. Please do not go on the walk unless you are used to walking long distance at a fast pace. It is a hot day and I urge everyone to stop, get a drink  rest if they feel tired and get on the bus to Ilford. If you have a banner which will slow you down it is probably best to go straight to Ilford from Queens.

Andy 07956 263088

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Media links from visit to Downing Street





The next link is ITN news clip it looks like it might not be up for long, it is listed as MPs Hospital petition which might help you find via Google


 
A big step forward for the campaign and thanks to everyone who made it happen.

Number Ten Photo

This is one of series of photos from visit to number ten which saw 8 MPs and 12 cllrs from across North East London go to 10 Downing St to say that KGH A&E and Maternity should stay open.

& more 10 photos

More 10 photos


Photos from visit to 10 Downing St Today

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

KGH events

Today 6 April I will be canvassing door to door: 7.30pm meeting point Barley Lane where it meets Gresham Drive in Chadwell Heath. I went out last night until 8.45pm no one gave me a hard time about knocking late when I explained there was a plan to close the hospital and turn it into a polyclinic. I ignored pensioner houses and concentrated on houses with a downstairs light on. The successful Whittington Hospital campaigners tell me door to door talking to people is how they got 5000 on the street for their hospital. Work commitments prevent from going out earlier.

Thurday 7 April – 10 Downing Street 11 cllrs from across NE London will deliver a letter to 10 Downing Street. Iain Duncan Smith, Lee and Mike will be there. Roger Evans and other cllrs and supporters will be outside Downing Street for BBC and ITN TV interviews. The aim is to get a plug for the 8th April events. Be there at 10 Downing St for 10.15 if you can make it to show support in a group photo.

Thursday 7 April 7.30pm – Door to Door: meeting point is Aldborough Road North at the junction of Roy Gdns.

Friday 8 April Ilford Station leafleting – I can do 7.15 to 7.45am it would be great if someone could cover a later slot/s.

Friday 8 April – 10am Romford Market where it meets North Street leafleting to remind people to be at Queens for 4pm photo shoot

Friday 8 April 3.30 for 4pm photo shoot outside Queens Hospital then march/ bus etc to Ilford Town For 6pm Photo Shoot and Rally.

Stewards are vital to making sure the events on the 8th go well please let me know if you can be one.

Please could you email your contacts to let them know about the 8th.

Regards

Andy 07956 263088

Can you help ITN with Queens/KGH story for tomorrow

ITN's London tonight will be covering the proposed closure tomorrow. They want to a TV interview between 12 and 2pm tomorrow with a vulnerable KGH patient who needs A&E and a pregnant woman under the care of Queens who is willing to talk about her concerns if KGH maternity is shut. Please let me know on 07956 263088 if you know anyone who is suitable.