Southall residents are being encouraged to show their opposition to plans to cut hospital services in North West London by taking part in a protest march on Saturday 15 September.

The march is part of the Save Our Hospitals campaign to fight NHS proposals which include downgrading Ealing Hospital to a ‘local hospital’, stripping it of nine of the 11 major types of service currently provided on-site, including the A&E.

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.

The protest march against the proposals will start at both Southall Park and Acton Park and meet for a rally at Ealing Common.

The march from Southall will meet at Southall Park at 10am and leave at 11am to travel past Ealing Hospital, through Hanwell and along New Broadway to Ealing Common.

The march from Acton will meet at Acton Park at 11am and will leave at 12pm and travel along The Vale and Acton High Street to Ealing Common.

The rally will then begin at Ealing Common at 1pm with speeches and live music.

Council leader Julian Bell said: "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 chronic conditions will have to travel further for regular treatment."

"We want to show NHS bosses that it is not acceptable to put financial considerations before people and this march and rally is a great opportunity for residents to come together to demonstrate their outrage at these plans."

All political parties on Ealing Council oppose the proposals and councillors are urging anyone who lives or works in the borough to get behind the campaign to Save Our Hospitals by signing a petition and responding to the NHS consultation.