Forum Topic

Closure of Charing Cross A&E - A good idea

Whilst I'm gutted about the loss of Central Middlesex which was one of the great hidden gems of West London I find it hard to be too bothered about the loss of A&E facilities at Charing Cross.Generally emergency facilities are widely abused by people in the country with much of their trade being in Friday, Saturday night drunks and people with non-emergency ailments who can't be bothered to book a GP appointment. If the latter have to travel a bit further to get to A&E they probably won't bother.Ambulance services are now better equipped than ever and paramedics better trained so a system in which you have fewer A&Es with better facilities makes perfect sense.The present Government has increased spending on the NHS in real terms and will continue to do so but because demand for services is ever increasing then savings have to be made somehow. Reducing A&Es seems less bad option. Staff costs are the biggest expenditure item and if doctors are going on strike at the suggestion that their pension entitlements might be reduced then services have to take a hit.Charing Cross is a great hospital but it never offered paediatric services any way so for many the A&E closure is irrelevant.Both H&F Council and local MP Andy Slaughter seem to be falling over each other in an effort to lead the campaign to 'save' Charing Cross. Neither of them will have any credibility unless they can come up with alternative ways the local NHS Trust can make the savings they need to.

Andy Jones ● 4687d10 Comments

Match days are far from the only time that these roads are clogged. Remember we have been warned that all is not well with the Hammersmith Flyover and we'll probably be hearing more about that once the Paraolympics are over.

Danny Kopech ● 4629d

QPR matches may create traffic in the Hammersmith area although I can't say I've ever noticed anything beyond the Uxbridge Road but a match at Stamford Bridge will make it more difficult to get to Chelsea and Westminster which is the suggested alternative so your argument undermines itself.

Ellen Corcoran ● 4632d

Iain - why do yiu have to be so rude and offensive ? Of course QPR creates traffic in the Hammersmith area.

David Giles ● 4669d

You are talking crap as usual David with your blinkered 'follow the official line' tory perspective. In this case QPR traffic affecting Charing Cross? Stick to the ChiswickW4 site where I presume you know the geography........

Iain Muir ● 4670d

Reform of the NHS is necessary in the light of advances in clinical practices, IT, medical knowledge and technology and health system management. In addition, the more efficient and competitive private sector is now much better equipped to play a leading role in providing NHS services.Some rationalisation is necessary because of the massive mess Labour made of Government and NHS finances. I have in the past campaigned against closure of facilities at Charing Cross but it may be logical to close the A&E there at this time because there are now very good facilities available elsewhere in West London.Access to Charing Cross is a bit of an issue because of traffic congestion in the area - particularly if Fulham, QPR or Chelsea are playing at home.

David Giles ● 4670d

David, in case you haven't noticed we have a coalition Government in which the Tories are the largest party and it is under this Government that these closures are taking place.

Karen Hartnell ● 4670d

The Labour Party has never tried to achieve consensus on the NHS. On the contrary the Labour Party has always tried to claim the NHS as its private property.The fact is that the NHS has been run by the Conservatives for far more years than by the Labour Party. And the Conservatives have always spent more money on and achieved better outcomes from the NHS. The NHS we have today owes much to the Conservative Party.In truth the Labour Party is unable to run the NHS properly and efficiently because the Labour Party is financially dependent on and controlled by the major trade unions who represent large number of NHS employees.

David Giles ● 4671d

Any attempt to have a consensus between the political parties on this issue already seems to be breaking down. At a recent press call when photos were being taken LBHF press officers deliberately stood in front of Andy Slaughter MP to try and obscure him in the pictures.

Karen Hartnell ● 4672d

I don't accept the point about the abuse of A&E services. There is an element of misuse but the vast majority of cases seem to be genuine particularly as you know a visit always tends to last 4-5 hours.Your second point about ambulance services is an interest one but is there any research to support this?Any one who disagrees with you should sign the petition:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savehfnhs/

Paul Corcoran ● 4673d

The problem with your argument is that it doesn't get around the fact that in a significant number of cases the speed at which a patient gets to hospital determines their chances of survival so more people are going to die because of these proposals.What I resent is that some unrepresentative committee seems to have arrived at this decision with little due diligence. This consultation - like most - is a joke as the matter is a fait accompli.

Danny Kopech ● 4686d