SOUTHALL families are unanimous that Ealing Hospital maternity and A&E departments must not close.
Over the weekend, scores of tickets for tomorrow night’s meeting to fight to stop the closure of the maternity this month (see ad this page) were bought. Pledges to join the march through Southall to occupy the hospital were made.
On the Golf Links estate, just round the corner from Ealing Hospital, Sue Tobin bought her ticket and told News Line yesterday: ‘My son was born at Ealing and so were my four grandchildren. ‘And we had the best possible care. I’ve never ever had a complaint with Ealing.
‘The size of the borough and the amount of people they have to deal with, they do a tremendous job.
‘By closing Ealing, it would put too much pressure on the other hospitals as well. Everything must be done to keep our hospital.’
Sue’s neighbour Kaniz Malik added: ‘We must save our hospital. If we lose our maternity and A&E, what’s left? Nothing! We have to save it.’
Lee O’Neil, an Ealing council binman and GMB member, said: ‘Ealing maternity must not close.
‘They are putting lives at risk. After they close the maternity, they plan to close the A&E. Just imagine if you live nearby and it’s closed. What can you do? My son was injured playing in the local park. We took him to the A&E, bleeding, and they sorted him out. God forbid, if the hospital was closed. This estate has thousands of people living on it.
‘And it’s just one of many surrounding the hospital. The trade unions have to start fighting. I will support the occupation of Ealing Hospital to stop the closure and tell all my mates to do the same.’
