QPR join fight to save local hospitals

Mark Hughes

QPR boss Mark Hughes joined players, including Clint Hill, Jamie Mackie and Shaun Derry, today to don ‘Save Hammersmith Hospital’ t-shirts to show their support for the campaign to prevent two A&E units closing in Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F).

Striker Jamie Mackie, 27, said:

“Everyone at QPR FC fully supports the petition to prevent the closure of the Accident and Emergency unit at Hammersmith Hospital. The unit offers an invaluable service to the local community and we hope this can be allowed to continue for many years to come.”

QPR join Fulham FC as the second top-flight football club to back the community campaign to retain premier league hospitals in west London.

Controversial plans to scrap the A&E departments at Hammersmith Hospital, as well as the A&E and hyper acute stroke unit at Charing Cross, were unveiled by hospital bosses in June.

Jamie Mackie

H&F Council has been supporting the campaign against the proposals along with a broad coalition of businesses and residents from a range of backgrounds chaired by MP Andy Slaughter with both warning that local people will be left dangerously far away from emergency care out of borough, if the NHS plans go ahead. This unity across the political spectrum is unheard of in our neck of the woods and it needs to be maintained for the campaign to stand any chance of success.

The council has organised a public scrutiny meeting on September 18 where hospital bosses will take questions from residents and a panel of experts. The council has also appointed a former NHS Chief Executive, Tim Rideout, to help scrutinise the NHS business case.

Cllr Marcus Ginn, H&F Council Cabinet Member for Community Services, says:

“Our community campaign to going from strength to strength and it is marvellous to have such huge support from residents and business in the borough – including the stars from QPR.

“QPR has a long and distinguished history in our borough and they understand how devastating it would be if we lost two A&E units.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported the campaign so far - but this is only the beginning. We need as many people as possible to sign our petitions, display the posters and come along to the public scrutiny meeting on September 18 so the NHS bureaucrats re-think their plans.”

The details of the next public meeting are:

Hammersmith Town Hall
Tuesday, September 18
7:00pm

You can sign a petition opposing both hospitals closure here