Sheila’s story:

It would be appalling if the Whittington A&E were to close. My husband owes his life to it. In February 2003, already with a heart condition, he had breathing difficulties at home. I called an ambulance which arrived quickly and took him to the Whittington. Just as he arrived he suffered a cardiac arrest. It was touch and go while the emergency staff worked on him for sometime but thanks to them he lived and is now enjoying a busy , healthy life. If he had had to go to the Royal Free he would have died before reaching there. We must keep the Whittington A&E open.

Mrs L’s story:

I am very much opposed to the idea of closure not just because it is totally inappropriate/reckless, but because my family has benefited from the A and E on 2 separate occasions in the past.

On the first occasion, I was phoned by the school authorities that my daughter had a nasty fall/bump on the head and wasn’t feeling well.  I collected her from primary school & because it was a Friday afternoon, my doctor’s surgery was closed.  When her condition deteriorated in the evening, I had to rush her to Whittington’s A and E and they treated her. On a separate occasion, I also had to drive my husband there as well and they treated him.

These were 2 major emergencies that required urgent medical attention from an A & E that was accessible and in close proximity to where we lived ie Whittington.

If the government has the welfare, well being and general safety of the citizens of this country at heart, it would not ever consider such a dangerous idea. An A & E at Whittington is not a luxury but a desperate necessity.  I completely oppose the idea to close it down.

Robert’s story:

My 12-year-old son fell off his bike recently and broke his arm. We took him to The Whittington at about 8pm and were delighted to discover that there was a dedicated children’s A&E department – a much less forbidding environment for an injured child. The staff were exceptionally friendly and efficient and by 9.30 we’d been through triage, X-ray, consulation and plaster. Without fail, the staff were cheerful and happy to answer my son’s questions about what was happening. Six weeks later, after two visits to the Whittington’s excellent fracture clinic, he’s back on his bike.

Having this resource at the Archway is a massive reassurance to local people. Going from Muswell Hill to the Royal Free would be far more of a challenge. For a start, there’s not even a bus connection It’s also 4.5 miles instead of 2. We need an A&E at Archway.

Alison’s story:

Two personal experiences in the last year of Whittington A&E:

1       Last January I had a severe asthma attack at night – just made it to the A&E where they whisked me through oon arival and put me on oxygen, then treated me.  I might well not have got as far as the Royal Free as I couldn’t breathe.  Cannot fault the treatment I received (PS must confess I had not thought of Camidoc, just wanted treatment!).

2       Our son, in great pain and bleeding from the penis went to A&E and although he had to wait, was seen by a urologist and appointments made for CT scan and further consultation with the urologist.  This at the height of pressure from last cold spell’s falls etc. A&E was crammed – if closed, would another A&E wherever be able to cope?  I think not.

Please use my name if it helps and thank you so much from both of us.

Olivia’s story:

I feel very strongly about the threatened closure of A & E at Whittington. This is partly for all the reasons put forward by others – the ridiculousness of the Royal Free being able to cope with increased numbers, the journey time from places like Crouch End or Hornsey (even Highgate) and the nightmare of Pond Street and parking (not good even at Whittington but nothing like as bad as Pond Street). 

My other reason is that my father was a consultant at Whittington many years ago and the coronary care unit there is named after him (Montuschi Ward).  He would have said that an A & E is essential to a vibrant, living hospital that is at the heart of a community.
Without an A & E a general hospital becomes a large edifice with little connection to the people around it.

On a more personal note, when our daughter Susannah was suspected of having meningitis some years ago the service and care she received in A & E and then on the paediatric ward were second to none.

The hospital was part of my family life and childhood and later, when Walter and I moved from Kentish Town to Highgate, two of our three children were born there.  It feels really important to me that for all it’s shortcomings (and there are very few A & E departments in London that anyone would really choose to attend) Whittington A & E remains available to the people of this very mixed part of North London.