Campaigners at Charing Cross Hospital desperately calling for NHS changes to be re-assessed to prevent A&E services being axed were joined by Mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan in their battle.
The Labour candidate was in Hammersmith on Monday (February 22) where he met campaigners to discuss the impact of potential cuts at the hospital, suggested as part of the government's Shaping a Healthier Future programme.
Ahead of a public meeting on Wednesday (February 23) on the future of Charing Cross Hospital, Mr Khan said Londoners should get the health services they "need and deserve" and as mayor, he would demand a bigger role in planning health services across London.
As it stands, NHS budget changes across London are not run by the mayor but are decided by government.
Staff were also joined by Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter and council Leader Stephen Cowan, who criticised the Tories for their "continuing record of choas and closures" in west London.
'Government must think again'
A&E departments at Hammersmith and Central Middlesex Hospitals have closed as part of the programme, as well as the maternity unit at Ealing Hospital.
According to a report by Michael Mansfield QC published in December , the decision to downgrade several North West London hospitals was "deeply flawed."
It called for the reopening of the closed A&E units and urged Charing Cross and Ealing to retain full services for the foreseeable future.
Mr Khan said: “Patients in west London are being severely let down by the Tories – their continuing record of chaos and closures has seen waiting times continue to rise and there’s a real danger things will get even worse if further closures go ahead.
"The Mansfield Report was clear evidence that the government must think again.
“I’m standing side-by-side with Charing Cross campaigners because patients in West London need and deserve better."
The Labour hopeful added: “I’m arguing that the Mayor of London should take on a bigger role, planning and coordinating health services across the city, and I’ll fight for these extra powers.
"If things carry on as they are, they’ll be even more chaos and misery for patients across London.
"Whether around hospital closures, GP access, or problems with social care, Londoners need a mayor coordinating services, fighting for them.”
Medical student Stephen Naulls said: "It's great to see Sadiq Khan and the councillors supporting the campaign to save Charing Cross Hospital."
Key meeting
Wednesday's meeting, held by Hammersmith and Fulham council, comes after leader Stephen Cowan said the money needed to deliver the controversial Shaping a Healthier Future (SaHF) programme is rising with each day that passes.
He and the leaders of the four other councils that commissioned Mr Mansfield’s independent report wrote to Mr Hunt in January urging a meeting .
Mr Cowan continued: “The Secretary of State has now had a month to respond to the letter sent by four London council leaders and me seeking solutions to these terrible problems.
The 1.5million west Londoners we represent will be baffled by Jeremy Hunt’s silence.”
The Department of Health confirmed the leaders’ letter had been received and that a response will be sent in due course.
The meeting takes place at the town hall’s Small Hall and begins at 7.30pm.
