Campaigners warned today that Heathrow Airport could be left dangerously exposed by emergency hospital plans for London which would see all major trauma care located on four sites in the centre of the City.
NHS London is currently out to consultation on proposals that would shift trauma and major emergency surgery to four inner-London sites at St George’s in Tooting, St Mary’s in Paddington, the Royal London in the east end and Kings in Camberwell.
But pressure group London Health Emergency has warned that the moves could undermine services currently provided at hospitals like Hillingdon, Ealing and West Middlesex in Hounslow which would be vital in the wake of a major incident at Heathrow.
Geoff Martin, Health Emergency Head of Campaigns, said: “We have never been opposed to the principle of centres of excellence but not at the expense of emergency services provided close to dense areas of population and major facilities like Heathrow.
“It would be a scandal if these plans were just bundled through without engaging in a proper debate around the impact on local acute hospitals like those grouped around Heathrow Airport.”