A public meeting was held at Romford Central Library in St Edward’s Way on Monday night, calling upon Havering Council to join neighbouring Redbridge in writing to health secretary Jeremy Hunt to ask him to review the decision to close King George Hospital’s A&E.
The accident and emergency department at the hospital in Barley Lane, Goodmayes is set to be changed to an urgent care centre in 2019, with many campaigners saying the increased pressure on Queen’s Hospital will result in poorer local healthcare services.
But in last week’s copy of the Recorder, Havering Council leader Roger Ramsey penned a letter claiming the borough’s health landscape had changed since the proposals were first agreed in 2011, and that a review is now crucial.
He wrote: “A review is now critical to ensure the NHS plans for the future needs of residents in Havering and north east London, and should include reviewing current and future capacity of not only A&E emergency care for residents, but also GP services and other valued NHS amenities.
“Residents in Havering and north east London deserve nothing less than world class health services, in the right place, at the right time – and that provide quality and clinically safe services.”
Save King George A&E campaigner Andy Walker organised Monday’s meeting, which was also broadcast live on Facebook, in the hopes of persuading Havering Council to formally petition the government for such a review.
Full story in The Romford Recorder, 12 September 2017