HSJ story on KGH A&E & May 3rd visit to 10 Downing Street

The below was sent today to Cllrs at B&D, Havering & Redbridge

Dear Councillors

The Health Service Journal ran a story yesterday reporting the following

“King George

...BHRUT runs two accident and emergency units – one in a PFI hospital at Romford and the other at King George Hospital – so it is obvious which one you would close if you wanted to close one.

And for a long time people did want to close King George’s A&E, to much local chagrin.

This prospect receded and was abandoned two years ago as demand for the service continued to grow. Apparently that is now starting to change with the prospect of downgrade being raised again, alongside some work on “fragile” (ie: dangerous) services.”ENDs

The full story is at https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/london-eye-closer-working/7024967.article

The closure of King George A&E and replacing it with an urgent care centre, a centre of excellence for the elderly combined with in patient beds while retaining 8 critical care bed is a “radical” by the BHRUT''s own admission. (References at pages 7, 3rd bullet point & page 16 future in-patient units).

Should the closure go through, there will be no emergency operating theatres or resuscitation at King George (page 26, first bullet point, 4th bullet point page 14, first sentence page 17). Like closing King George A&E, closing emergency operating theatres is never actually stated at King George, but it the only reasonable interpretation of phrases such as “Repurpose KGH A&E” (page 4), “Re-route ambulance-bourne emergency patients to Queens” and other euphemisms for closure which litter the £49M closure plan.

A King George Hospital full of elderly people are bound to need to emergency surgery for time to time as so will a small number of the walk in patients at KGH. A full public consultation on this “radical” plan is required on how this new KGH is to cope with those requiring emergency surgery on the KGH site along with other issues.

If you are sympathetic to the need for a consultation it would be much appreciated if you could be outside 10 Downing St at 11.45am this Friday 3^rd May. The more elected representatives and public who confirm attendance, the greater the prospects of getting press coverage.

The closure plan is at https://redbridgetradeunionparty.wordpress.com/2019/04/12/bhrut-publish-new-elimination-plan-for-king-george-ae/

Regards

Andy Walker