Protest to take place outside Central Middlesex Hospital’s A&E department

Residents furious A&E opening hours are being slashed

Campaigners will hold a demonstration outside Central Middlesex Hospital tomorrow (Tuesday) to protest against the decision to axe its Accident and Emergency opening hours.

The hospital’s A&E, in Acton Lane, Harlesden, will only be opened 11 hours a day from November 14, instead of the usual 24 hours a day.

North West London Hospitals Trust, which runs the department, said the hours are being cut because there is a shortage of doctors.

But Bridie Ahmed, 58, who suffers from Lupus, says the A&E is a lifeline and should be opened around the clock.

The mother-of-two, of Vivian Avenue, Wembley, said: “I’ve got extremely poor health. I’ve been in and out of the A&E for the past 20 years. It has always been there for me and a lot of people I know.

“If it is not opened it means people will have to travel to St Mary’s in Paddington or Northwick Park which are too far to travel.

“I do not belong to a political party, I’m just angry that they are being allowed to do this. We can’t let this happen.”

In March the A&E department was seeing 200 patients a day on average.

Now it sees about 70 patients a day and normally only one or two people an hour go to A&E between 7pm and 8am.

The trust says this is because it opened a new GP-led Urgent Care Centre in March which has led to a drop in the number of people needing to go to A&E and more doctors in the department leaving.

The protest will take place out Central Middlesex Hospital from 12 noon. People are urged to bring banners and to show their support.