CLOSURE OF ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN WEST LONDON

That this House deplores the proposal to close the accident and emergency departments at Hammersmith, Charing Cross, Ealing and Central Middlesex Hospitals; notes the comment of the Medical Director of the North West LondonNHS that it would `literally run out of money' unless the closures proceed'; regrets that no proper consultation has taken place and no reliable data exists to justify the proposals; believes that the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of west Londoners are put at risk and that four world class hospitals will face significant downgrading and in some cases virtual closure; and calls on the Secretary of State for Health to intervene to stop the closures going ahead and to review the performance and management of the NHS in North West London and on the Prime Minister to honour his pledge not to cut the NHS.