Redbridge to write to Mr Hunt

Last night Redbridge Council agreed to write to Mr Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health asking him to "review" the proposals to "reconfigure" A&E and Maternity at KGH. I have written to the Chief Executive and party leaders drawing their attention to press articles about what happens when a A&E is shut and the remaining A&E struggles to cope, in case they feel any of this information should be included in the letter to Mr Hunt.
 A quote from David Rose follows taken from the Mail about what happens when an A&E department is closed. He writes:
 "As emergency cases are forced to travel elsewhere, the number of patients waiting in those departments for longer than the official four-hour target before being seen has more than tripled."
 The article mentions a Sheffield university study which found ambulance travelling longer distances to an A&E led ‘an increased risk of death’. The article can be read in full here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2200339/NHS-Cuts--Savage-consequences-revealed-pensioner-waits-6-hours-ambulance.html The conditions needing care quickly are "anaphylactic shock, choking, drowning or having an acute asthma attack" according to link here. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-476632/Why-A-E-cutbacks-cost-lives-Labour-told.html

Dr Michie speaks out about what will happen if Ealing A&E is shut: ‘The consequence of closing Ealing A&E will be more dead babies and very sick children,’ said paediatrician Colin Michie. ‘The idea of shutting the A&E without providing extra capacity elsewhere is quite frightening. There is a complete disparity between the plans and reality.’
 Taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2203809/A-E-shutdown-farce-backlash-begins.html#ixzz275XDpvAD The Sheffield study pre-dates the closure decision, however, I have raised it with NHS managers and never had a satisfactory reply for why it does not mean Redbridge residents will be put at risk if KGH A&E is shut.