Ealing council has criticized plans that could see the closure of the borough’s A&E and intensive care units, as well as hospital maternity and paediatric services.

Councillor from all parties oppose the plans. Council leader Julian Bell took part in a protest outside a NHS meeting in Westminster on Monday.

Under the NHS proposed plans Ealing Hospital would be downgraded to a ‘local hospital’, stripping it of nine of the 11 major types of service currently provided on-site.

The proposals are part of a major restructure of NHS services in North West London which, if agreed, would see almost half of the hospitals in the region suffering a similar fate. If the plans get approved residents would have to travel miles to reach the nearest major hospital for vital services.

The NHS has published an 890-page report on the proposed restructure. Under its preferred option Charing Cross Hospital would also be downgraded to a local hospital, losing the same services as Ealing. Central Middlesex Hospital, which has already had its A&E unit reduced to a daytime only service, would see the unit close permanently and it would also lose its intensive care unit.

Anyone who lives or works in the borough should sign a petition against the plans and to respond to the NHS consultation, which is expected to begin on Monday (2 July). Ealing council’s campaign e-petition can be found at www.ealing.gov.uk/petitions.

Councillor Bell said: "We have a population that is significantly larger than many UK cities. Nobody in their right mind can think that it’s right that a population of more than 320,000 doesn’t have a major hospital to provide essential services like A&E, intensive care, maternity and paediatrics."

"Ealing is a very busy hospital and all those thousands of patients will have to be treated somewhere. I’m sure all those who live close to other hospitals will be wondering what impact that will have on the facilities and waiting times where they are."

Councillor David Millican, leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: "The NHS claims that under blue light conditions people will still be able to get to A&E quickly, but you have to wonder what the effect will be on all those with long term chronic conditions who have to make their own way to hospital, week in and week out for treatment."

Councillor Gary Malcolm, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, said: "These plans will not only affect Ealing residents, but also those who work in the borough or spend their spare time here. Everyone wants the reassurance that they are never too far from help if the worst happens but, if these plans get the go ahead, for much for North West London that will no longer be true."

Consultation on the NHS report ‘Shaping a Healthier Future’ is expected to begin on Monday 2 July and run until the beginning of October.

There are three options that the NHS will consider as part of its consultation. Under its preferred Option A:

• St Mary’s, Chelsea & Westminster, West Middlesex, Northwick Park and Hillingdon would continue to be major hospitals and keep services such as A&E.
• Hospitals to be downgraded to local hospitals include Ealing, Central Middlesex and Charing Cross hospitals, while Hammersmith, including Queen Charlotte and Chelsea, would become a specialist hospital.

Services at Ealing Hospital that will no longer be provided if the preferred option A is agreed include:

• A&E
• emergency surgery
• non elective medicine
• non elective surgery
• complex elective surgery
• intensive care
• inpatient paediatrics
• obstetrics
• maternity unit

Two motions have been passed at meetings of the full council on 31 January 2012 and on 19 July 2011 setting out the council’s opposition to plans to downgrade services at Ealing and Central Middlesex Hospitals.