New plot by London health chiefs to axe A&E

DOMINIC WIGGAN - 16 October 2009

King George Hospital's A&E department

THE future of King George Hospital is hanging in the balance after health chiefs hatched fresh plans to axe the A&E department and downgrade services.

The Recorder has discovered that proposals have been drawn up for a new polyclinic on the hospital's Barley

Lane, Goodmayes, site in order to strip away services such as A&E.

One medic who has also seen the plans is disgusted.

Dr David Shubhaker backed the Recorder's successful Hands Off Our Hospital campaign in 2007 when the A&E was previously threatened.

Now the GP who runs Barkingside Medical Centre, Cranbrook Road, Barkingside, feels the public has to unite once more.

He said: "It looks as though it is curtains for the A&E at King George, which is not what we want.

"This is going to be a real problem for the people of Redbridge.

"Slowly other departments will move out and we will be left with a few specialties.

"I have discussed this with many doctors and they are against the polyclinic idea. No one wants to leave their surgeries.

"We have been talking of this happening for years and once in a while it crops back up.

The campaign had a great impact last time and people need to know the new plans."

The plans have been put together by Health for North East London and are due to go to public consultation later in the year.

It is thought solid plans could be rubberstamped as early as April, 2010.

MPs who helped to gather thousands of signatures for the Hands Off Our Hospital campaign are livid.

Ilford North's Lee Scott said: "We must protect our services - the people of Redbridge need KGH. We need to make them have a rethink, but it certainly does not look good.

"I don't understand what has changed since the last time this plan was scrapped."

Ilford South's Mike Gapes said: "I fought to defend KGH and I will not accept any question of closing my local hospital.

"The bureaucrats have to understand that they have to meet the needs of the community."

See the Ilford Recorder and Woodford Recorder for more stories about the potential cuts at KGH, and how Whipps Cross Hospital may be fighting for its future.