Community Life

But Callum Handip felt so strongly about proposals to close the Accident and Emergency department at King George Hospital, that's exactly what he did.

Speaking from his hospital wheelchair, and still attached to his drip, the Dagenham resident told me:

 “I'm being treated at King George’s … if it closed I'd have to go over to Queen’s, but they haven't got enough room.

“The hospital’s big but it hasn't got enough beds …

When I was in hospital in March they were sending patients from Queen’s hospital to King George’s”.

He was just one the many people from Barking & Dagenham who helped form a human chain outside the hospital, in protest at the possible closure.

If the closure goes ahead, patients from Barking & Dagenham as well as Ilford will have to use Queen’s.

This would mean the Romford hospital would have to serve three boroughs: Havering, Barking & Dagenham and Ilford.

There are fears this will lead to increased pressure on services, and impact on patient care.

Speaking at the protest Barking MP Margaret Hodge told me that:

“When we got the agreement to build Queens we argued that we needed two hospitals in the area. An enormous number of people attend the A & E hospital [at King George].

“If your child falls down in the playground, if you break your leg, or if you're having a miscarriage, you want to go to a local A & E… Closing this would be a disaster”

In a statement Barking Havering & Redbridge NHS trust said that:

“We understand the depth of feeling felt by local residents in their campaigns to ensure that the A & E department at King George Hospital is maintained, however we would emphasise that no decision has been made about [the] proposals."

They said local residents will get the chance to put their views across at the public consultation, which is expected to take place in October.

So what do you think? Let me know your views by emailing [email protected]