Ealing council’s bid for a judicial review of plans to downgrade four west London hospitals has been rejected today.

At a hearing in the High Court, Mr Justice Mitting told the court that he would not allow the case to proceed.

The council also referred the NHS’s decision to the secretary of state for health, Jeremy Hunt, who asked an independent panel to review the plans.

He is expected to make the final decision on whether the plans will go ahead shortly.

Disappointed campaigners are now pinning their hopes on Mr Hunt rejecting the plans and saving hospital services.

Councillor Julian Bell, leader of the council, said:  “I’m very angry because I don’t think this has been a fair process but the judges have ruled that it is a fair process.

“It was a flawed consultation and the health needs of the people of Ealing have not been taken into account. It’s not over, the fight goes on. This is just a legal decision, but it was flawed and the judgement is flawed. The next step will now be to wait for the Secretary Of State to make a decision based on the finding of an independent review panel.

“We will be putting pressure on the secretary of state and make our views very clear. With all the pressure that’s on our health resources at the moment, the fact that they want to reduce the number of A & Es from 9 to half simply beggars belief. People here are very angry.”

Anne Drinkell, a former clinical nurse at Charing Cross and key member in the Save Our Hospitals campaign, said: "It's disappointing but it doesn't really change the basic reasons why the campaign still feels it's unsafe and unfair to close all these casualties and main buildings.

"We're still waiting for Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's announcement for an independent review and we will be lobbying Hammersmith and Fulham Council on October 23."

People are urged to join a rally against the plans in Brent Meadow, Uxbridge Road, near Ealing Hospital. It will start at 1pm on Saturday October 19. 

A public meeting at Ealing Town Hall on November 8, chaired by NHS commentator Roy Lilley and Guardian journalist Polly Toynbee, will be another chance to debate the changes. It will hear evidence from campaigners, clinical commissioning groups and NHS North West London.

Ms Drinkell added: "We hope they will look at the body of evidence and really take it on board because the scale of the closure plans is bigger than anything the NHS has ever tried to do before."

A representative from the Shaping a healthier future programme, Dr Mark Spencer, Ealing GP and the programme’s medical director, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of this case. We have always been confident of the benefits of the work we have done with staff, patients and key organisations – and continue to believe that the plans developed by clinicians are in the best interests of our patients.

“Locally, we will now look forward to working with the council and other organisations in Ealing, investing in out of hospital care and building new facilities to deliver better health care and the very best patient experiences. I have no doubt that our plans will save lives.”

The council applied for a judicial review in May after the NHS approved plans to shut four A&Es and downgrade other services at Ealing, Central Middlesex, Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals.

Ealing council’s cabinet will discuss their next steps on October 22.