A brand-new £21million A&E department is up and running at Northwick Park Hospital.

The hospital, in Watford Road, Harrow, opened its doors to the new department at 4am this morning, with patients now enjoying the state-of-the art facilities, alongside a new GP-led Urgent Care Centre also housed within the new building.

Simon Crawford, acting chief executive of London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “This is a fantastic new facility and is great news for our patients and staff.“A lot of careful planning was required to enable the successful transfer from the old A&E to the new.

"This took place over a four hour period in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

“Our staff worked closely with a number of organisations, including local NHS Trusts and London Ambulance Service to ensure that the move went as smoothly as possible.

“I would like to thank all those involved for their sterling efforts.“

The opening of the new A&E supports the wider plans to improve patient care in North West London.”

The hospital came under fire in recent weeks for failing to reach patient targets after the closure of neighbouring A&E departments at Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal and Hammersmith Hospital in East Acton.

Health chiefs have launched an inquiry into the ‘unprecedented’ long waits for patients at Northwick Park Hospital following the closure of the two other units.