Crusaders are protesting against plans to close hospital’s casualty unit

A candlelight vigil in protest against plans to axe a hospital’s casualty unit will take place tonight.

Campaigners will hold the event outside Central Middlesex Hospital in Acton Lane, Park Royal, at 9pm.

The hospital will lose its accident and emergency department if controversial changes to healthcare in North West London are approved.

The plans, called Shaping a Healthier Future, are due to be finalised on February 19 and will see changes made to hospitals in eight London boroughs.

Earlier this week residents striving to save NHS in the borough presented a petition to a health commission group calling on them to avoid commissioning services from private providers.

The petition, which was set up with campaign group 38 degrees, was presented to the Brent Shadow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) at the Wembley Centre for Health and Care in Chaplin Road.

It is designed to suggest amendments or additions to the CCG’s constitution, which would allow them to avoid commissioning services from private providers, especially the large multinational companies the protesters claim want to make profits from the NHS.