COUNCILLORS will appeal to the government to investigate controversial plans to shut the only A&E in the borough.

Members of Redbridge Council's Health Scrutiny Committee passed a resolution registering their objection to the plans, drawn up by Health for North East London, to shut the service at King George Hospital in Ilford over concerns about patient safety and lengthy ambulance journeys.

The council will also urge the Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham MP, to launch a review of the plans, which have been met with outrage by some residents.

The resolution states: “Redbridge Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee, taking account of the need to provide a wide range of health services in Redbridge which are able to meet the needs of our growing and diverse population, expresses its strong opposition to the Health for North East London (ONEL) proposals to downgrade services at King George Hospital which would: (a) close the accident and emergency department; (b) end critical care support and acute surgical and medical treatment; (c) end children’s surgery and (d) end maternity delivery in the borough.

“This Health Scrutiny Committee further resolves to refer the issue to the Secretary of State for Health requesting that he establish an independent review of these ONEL proposals; and agrees to inform the outer North East London Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee of our rejection of these proposals.”

Under the plans. all emergency patients would be sent to either Queen's Hospital in Romford or Whipps Cross in Leytonstone, which critics say would pose a threat to patient safety and quality of care.