Redbridge Council votes to campaign for King George A&E to stay
An Independent councillor fighting to keep the A&E unit at King George Hospital open said “a step forward” has been taken by Redbridge Council who agreed to campaign against its proposed closure.
Cllr Andy Walker, ward councillor for Chadwell, organised a deputation, led by six pensioners, at Thursday’s’s full council meeting in Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford.
The 55 councillors present - excluding Mayor of Redbridge Cllr Felicity Banks who abstained - voted unanimously to campaign for A&E services to stay at the hospital in Barley Lane and for the return of the maternity provision - moved in March to Queen’s Hospital in Romford and surrounding facilities.
Speaking to the Recorder afterwards, Cllr Walker (Ind, Chadwell) said: “It was a step forward because this is the first time the council have campaigned to keep the A&E.
“There is now a process on how we are going to keep the A&E open.”
You may also want to watch:
Cllr Walker now wants reports to be sent to the council on how KGH is performing, so the council can work with the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust to improve it.
On Friday Cllr Walker made this request to the council and is awaiting a response to see if it will become a motion for January’s full council meeting.
Most Read
- 1 Young Citizen: Ilford student who assisted at crash campaigns for more first aid
- 2 Sam Tarry MP urges Sadiq Khan to block Goodmayes Tesco development
- 3 Barkingside man charged with intending to supply cannabis
- 4 Protestors decry 'privatisation' of NHS outside Loxford Practice
- 5 'I convened a meeting for residents and businesses in the York Road area'
- 6 Charity urges council to tackle alleged Ilford Lane anti-social behaviour
- 7 Guilty: Who was jailed across east London in July?
- 8 Redbridge issued more than 2,800 Blue Badge fines in 2020, data shows
- 9 More than £5m worth of stolen vehicles recovered in first Redbridge Action Week
- 10 Council leader urges government to fund flood prevention measures
Cllr Wes Streeting (Lab, Chadwell), who seconded Cllr Walker’s motion, said: “We have lost our maternity unity and our A&E unit is earmarked for closure - the more you gut it, the more it looks like a polyclinic.”
Pauline Broad, 83, and blind, spoke about her fears of visiting Queen’s Hospital.
The former midwife said: “I live alone and I don’t have a carer. I am totally blind but I am independent - and that is what I want to maintain.
“If I have problem at King George Hospital I can feel my way to the desk, but at Queen’s I am not sure I can. I will be completely lost.”
