Likely closure of Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup’s A&E is a huge kick in the teeth of the Hospital’s League of Friends

PRESS RELEASE from
Independents to save Queen Mary’s Hospital
Embargoed until 9.00am Monday 29th Oct. 2007

Over the last year £200,000 has been spent on improving the children’s accident and emergency department at Queen Mary’s Hospital. The new unit has round the clock paediatric medical and nursing care on site. With more than 21,000 children being seen each year this busy department would be lost if the main accident and emergency unit closes. This would be a complete waste of the £200,000 spent on this much improved child-friendly environment as well as a complete dereliction of care to these children.

Commenting on this likely closure, party leader of Independents to save Queen Mary’s Hospital, John Hemming-Clark, commented, “This is, at the very least, a slap in the face for the children of the local area who are just getting used to this wonderfully upgraded facility but it’s also a huge kick in the teeth of the Hospital’s extremely active and well regarded League of Friends. An extensive cadre of volunteers meant that they were able to contribute £100,000 towards the project. Money that, if the A & E is closed, has effectively been poured down the drain. It is paramount that the A & E remains open and my party will do all that it can to ensure that it does.”