Friday, September 21, 2012

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.

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