A&E closure ‘will cost lives’ say protesters

Patients' lives will be lost because

Up to a million people will be "severely impacted" by last night's move at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, which will force them to travel up to six miles for an A&E.

The hospital — at the centre of a battle between the Government and campaigners — is the first to see departments close under the Coalition.

A final decision is still to be made on whether its A&E and maternity departments should both shut permanently.

More than 100 protesters demonstrated outside the hospital last night in an attempt to save both units, ordered to close due to staff and medical supply shortages.

Rally organiser John Hemming-Clark said: "Lives will be lost because of this. That's people dying all in the name of money."

The financial analyst, 50, who lives a mile from the hospital in Chislehurst, added: "People will have to travel at least six miles to the nearest A&E and those hospitals will not be able to cope with the pressure of more patients.

"Six miles in other parts of the UK may not seem much but in this densely populated area patients will be severely impacted by it. We are incensed."

A GP review on the hospital's future was last month described as the "final nail in the coffin".

The report by doctors from Bexley, Greenwich and Bromley supported permanent closure of both departments, citing financial sustainability as a key factor. NHS London is due to give its final decision at the end of this month.

Patients who would normally use Queen Mary's will be forced to travel to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich or the Princess Royal in Farnborough — both six miles away.

The maternity department will close on December 13. The temporary closures were announced in September after bosses said keeping both open could jeopardise patient safety.