Lib Dem Health Spokesperson Cllr Neil Williams has written to Health Service chiefs to express his concerns about plans being mooted to ‘rationalise’ vital maternity and children’s Accident & Emergency services in the North London area. Cllr Williams is concerned that vital services for Haringey patients will be affected in ways that are not yet clear, and wants answers on how waiting lists and journey times for patients to local hospitals such as the Whittington and North Mid might change as a result of the NHS plans.

The plans involve concentrating children’s and maternity services at fewer sites in the five boroughs in the North London area, instead of the present spread of services across six north London hospitals. Cllr Williams says that children’s A&E services at certain sites could therefore close, and full reassurances must be given before any ‘rationalisation’ plan.

Lib Dem Health Spokesperson Cllr Neil Williams (Highgate ward) comments:

“I have asked the Health authority to explain how any rationalisation plan might affect Haringey patients. It concerns me that parents may have to travel further to take their kids to A&E, and whether this will be as safe in an emergency.

“Journey times are one thing, but how quickly will children be seen when they get to the enlarged services? If waiting times are increased because not enough extra doctors, nurses and beds are put in place in the centralised units, will children be put at risk? These are questions which must be answered before the Health Service pushes ahead with these plans for North London. I also want to know specifically how they will impact on the two local hospitals, the North Mid and the Whittington.”