The number of Accident and Emergency units in London could be cut under current proposals for reorganisation.  What is the reason behind these proposals and what could this mean for patient care?

The London Assembly Health and Environment Committee will tomorrow hear from a range of experts about proposed changes to the capital’s Accident and Emergency Care. Potential changes to NHS services include:

• North West London NHS Trust: consultation has proposed closing four^[1] of the nine A&E units. 
• NHS North East London: consultation (pre-implementation stage) proposes shutting King George’s Hospital A&E and maternity services.
• NHS North Central London: Chase Farm in Enfield is set to lose A&E and maternity services. 
• South West London NHS Trust: six areas of service provision including A&E and maternity care across five PCTs is to be consulted on. 
• South London NHS Trust: public consultation, closing 13 December, recommends a number of changes including downgrading A&E services at Lewisham University Hospital. 

The Committee will ask about the effect of the proposals on local residents. This will include the capacity of remaining units to deal with an increase in patients; the likely increase in ambulance journey times; and the consequences of poor transport links. 

The following guests will attend:

• Dr Andy Mitchell, Medical Director, NHS London
• Dr Mark Spencer, Medical Director NHS North West London
• Dr Fionna Moore, Medical Director, London Ambulance Service
• Dr Julian Redhead, Chairman, London Board for the College of Emergency Medicine, and Emergency Medicine and Clinical Programme Director for Medicine, Charing Cross Hospital
• Catherine Jones, Principal Transport Planner, Transport for London
• Dr Marie-Louise Irvine GP (Amersham Vale Practice, New Cross Deptford) and Programme Director, Lewisham-wide GP Training Scheme

The Health and Environment Committee meeting will take place at 2pm on Wednesday 12 December 2012 at City Hall (The Queen’s Walk, London SE1).   Media and members of the public are invited to attend.  The meeting can also be viewed via webcast.

Notes to editors:

1. Hammersmith, Ealing, Central Middlesex and Charing Cross
2. Read the full agenda papers.
3. Murad Qureshi AM, Chair of the Health and Environment Committee, is available for interview.  See contact details below.
4. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For more details, please contact Lisa Moore in the Assembly Media Office on 020 7983 4228/4283.  For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.  Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit, Greater London Authority, on 020 7983 4100.