Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced last week that two local A&Es will close and two others will remain open but in a different ‘shape and size’.

Accident and emergency services at Ealing and Charing Cross hospitals will remain open but are unlikely to provide the same range of services.

Save our Hospital campaigners are ‘devastated’ that A&Es at Central Middlesex and Hammersmith are being shut.

Speaking following the announcement in the House of Commons, council leader, Councillor Julian Bell, said: "Jeremy Hunt’s statement raises as many questions as it answers and the devil will be in the detail."

"It is devastating that A&Es at Hammersmith and Central Middlesex will be lost. We hope Mr Hunt’s promises are genuine and this isn’t just a stay of execution for the A&Es at Ealing and Charing Cross hospitals."

"When you look at the independent review report ordered by the government it says that there will only be five major hospitals in the area. Mr Hunt knows that you can only have a full A&E at a major hospital and we are left wondering if all we are being offered is an enhanced urgent care centre by another name."

"He has decided to close the maternity unit today which means anybody with an Ealing postcode will not be able to have their baby at their local hospital."

"If blue light ambulances can’t stop there and you can’t have a baby there then it isn’t a proper hospital."

"What we do know is that without Ealing Council forcing an independent review and the campaigning of local people we would not have seen any concessions."

"I would like to thank everyone who signed a petition, or marched in protest to oppose these monstrous plans and let them know we will continue to fight for the best possible health services for this borough."

"We will now seek urgent discussions with the NHS and the secretary of state to find out more about these latest plans."

Five of the nine hospitals in north west London (Hillingdon, Northwick Park, West Middlesex, Chelsea & Westminster and St Mary's) will continue to be major hospitals with A&E departments.

Earlier this month Ealing Council’s request at the High Court for a judicial review of the controversial plans to downgrade local hospitals was rejected.

All political parties on the council are part of the Save Our Hospital campaign and have opposed the downgrade of four local hospitals since plans were announced in June 2012.