Ealing residents are to hold a borough-wide rally against changes to services at Ealing and Charing Cross hospitals.

Ealing Hospital had its maternity services services taken away in July 2015 and a decision to close the blue-light A&E services at the hospital is also expected next year.

While there will be a GP-run Urgent Care Centre at Ealing Hospital, residents could face at least a 40-minute journey on public transport to their nearest Accident and Emergency department.

Ealing Hospital would be left with 50 beds, with 500 beds lost across north west London as part of the "Shaping a Healthier Future" proposal.

Charing Cross Hospital is also expected to face similar closures, while A&E services at Central Middlesex and Hammersmith hospitals already closed.

The rallies in Ealing will start from Southall Park at 11am and Acton Park at 11.30am, meeting at Ealing Common for a major rally from 1pm on Saturday September 30.

Ealing Council leader, Julian Bell said: “We are urging as many people as possible to attend the rally to show their support for our local hospitals.

"If you, your friends or your family have ever needed to call upon these services then now is the time to act to protect them so that they continue to be here when we need them.

Protesters outside the Ealing Hospital entrance


"If these plans go ahead they will leave thousands of people without local access to essential services including A&Es, intensive care, maternity and paediatric units, while those with some chronic conditions will have to travel further for regular treatment.

"To strip out all of the vital services, reduce the number of beds by 80% and still call it a ‘local’ hospital is pure spin and we are not falling for it.

"Local people tell me they are really worried about these plans.

"We want to give residents the opportunity to come together and show government their outrage at these plans."

Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham Councils have launched a petition to protest the plans for the NHS and are urging all those who live and work in the area to sign ahead of the deadline in early 2018.

A spokesman from the North West London collaboration of clinical commissioning groups said: "Over the next few years we will be looking at where we can best provide services for residents, including GP practices, the community and hospital.

"New services will be developed and some existing services will change.

"No changes will be made until new community services are up and running and will talk to residents.”

Ealing residents are being encouraged to share their views on further development of care for the elderly in their borough through an online survey.

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.

Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android.