The mother of a six-year-old Down's syndrome child, who has already had 19 operations, has slammed the proposed closure of Ealing Hospital 's Children's Ward.

Samantha Schmidt, whose son Lucas Schmidt also suffers from Hirschsprung's disease, which causes colon malfunction, regularly relies on the Charlie Chaplin ward at the hospital.

But a decision is set to be made on Wednesday afternoon (May 18) on whether to close the ward on June 30 and confirm other reforms that would mean ambulances will no longer take children to Ealing's A&E unit.

Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is holding a governing body meeting at Greenford Hall, Ruislip Road, Middlesex, from 2pm-5pm to decide if the changes can be made safely. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Instead, Ealing CCG says if a parent brings a child in but needs more care than can be provided, they will be looked after before being transferred to another hospital.

The changes have been fought by campaigners, including a protest held in Greenford in April.

The issue was also debated in Westminster Hall earlier this month, amid more protests.

READ MORE:What is happening to Ealing Hospital? Nine key questions answered

Mrs Schmidt, who returned to Ealing from Luxembourg because of the "amazing NHS", is fearful of what changes could mean for Lucas.

'My son was dying'

She said: "We were at home for a week (following his last visit) and then he got double pneumonia.

"We were rushed into Ealing Hospital and they had support, they put him straight into a bed. We may have never made it. They (Ealing Hospital) saved his life.

"My son was dying. If we were told there was a delay and that we would have to wait for hospital transportation, then sent to another hospital - he could have had brain damage by then.

"He also gets visitors in Ealing and I can't tell you the difference that made to my son - he had friends and family turn up.

"Close to home, I can at least I can say grandma is coming to see us, but I can't say that when we're all the way in Harrow.

"How can they justify closing it?"

'Best care isn't always nearest'

Ealing CCG said, in life-threatening situations, parents should call 999 for an ambulance which will take the child to a nearby unit "without delay".

A spokesperson said that on average journeys will be increased by up to three minutes with a trained paramedic.

In a life-threatening emergency, a child who comes in will be looked after in the hospital's adult A&E department by trained doctors and nurses.

The spokesperson added: "These changes are about improving children’s care across the whole of North West London, which isn’t always the nearest, by providing better access to more specialist senior doctors during the day and night."

But Eve Turner from the campaigning group Ealing Save Our NHS, who has regularly spoken out against the closure, said: "When people rush their children to Ealing Hospital and it looks serious, the children will have to wait around for transport and be driven somewhere else to wait for a pediatric consultant.

"An A&E department is at the heart of any Hospital.

"If children can't go there, it doesn't just reduce essential services for children, it undermines the A&E and the whole hospital."

Although the campaign to stop changes at Ealing Hospital has received strong support, there was controversy this month when it was revealed that only 1% of the 100,000 people who signed a petition live in Ealing.