| We are delighted to inform you that the Government has now withdrawn their support from the ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ (SaHF) cuts plans. This means that Ealing & Charing Cross Hospitals are keeping their A&Es!! Along with the A&Es, wards will remain open and patients will be able to have treatment, operations and a bed at both hospitals. – Fantastic news and a great achievement for everyone who campaigned in both Boroughs. |
| None of this could have happened without the tremendous work done by campaigners, our local councils and everyone who helped by producing & giving out leaflets, running street stalls, signing petitions, attending protests, demonstrations, challenging the NHS bosses at meetings, doing the research and more. |
| The Government announcement on our hospitals: |
| On Tuesday 26th April, Matt Hancock (Secretary of State for Health & Social Care) made the following Statement in response to a question from the Conservative Chelsea & Fulham MP: |
| “Shaping a Healthier Future (SaHF) is no longer supported by the Dept for Health & Social Care, by NHS Improvement or by NHS England (national NHS bosses).The NHS will look at parts of the proposals that are in line with the Long Term Plan like the aspects of the plan that are focused on expanding the treatment of people in the community. But as for the changes in A&E in West London, for instance at Charing Cross Hospital that he mentions that are part of Shaping a Healthier Future, these will not happen”. |
| North West London NHS bosses accept Ealing & Charing Cross are here to stay! |
| Following the announcement in Parliament, NHS North West London issued a Statement, the key bit being – |
| “We will not be taking forward the plans as set out in SaHF for changes to Ealing and Charing Cross hospitals, but this does not mean that services across NW London will not change.” |
| You can read the full statement here – |
| Readers of our Newsletter will know that Ealing Save Our NHS thought that ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ had been the ‘walking dead’ for some time. Despite all the money spent on community care and other ‘out of hospital’ services, North West London NHS has not been able to reduce demand for hospital beds – in fact demand is increasing! And, national NHS bosses had twice refused to fund North West London NHS’s bid for capital that would have allowed them to expand other A&Es and services to ‘replace’ Ealing Hospital. |
| There is no apology for the millions of pounds (at least £72 million) spent on management consultants to advise them on implementing SaHF, the upset caused to staff at our Hospital, and the closing of our Maternity, Childrens A&E & Charlie Chaplin Ward. In fact, quite the opposite, they claim that maternity care and emergency paediatric care have improved. It doesn’t seem that way to people in Ealing! |
| You can read Ealing Save Our NHS press release here – |
| And Ealing Council’s press release here – |
| What Next? |
| Ealing Save Our NHS will be discussing the next stage in our campaigning. As well as wasting millions of pounds of NHS money on a failed project, a huge amount of damage has been done to Ealing Hospital. We have lost services, staff and more. We will be demanding that our services are re-instated and that the Government funds the NHS. Please contact us if you would like to help. |
| In the meantime let’s enjoy our success. |
