Dagenham and Rainham Labour MP, Margaret Mullane, met on Friday 5 June with local parents of children who have complex needs and disabilities to discuss their experiences with accessing treatments at Queen’s A&E Department.
Margaret heard disturbing accounts from parents of what had happened when they had to bring their children into the hospital. Parents spoke of a campaign they have recently launched pressing Queens Hospital to invest and install “safe beds” for children and adults with complex and special needs so they have dignity and feel safe when visiting and being treated at the hospital.
Margaret said “I will be arranging to meet with the new Chief Executive of Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Trust, Fiona Wheeler, to draw these totally unacceptable reports about Queen’s Hospital to her attention so that urgent action can be put in place to improve the service to these vulnerable children.
I had previously written to the former Chief Executive, Matthew Trainer, about my concerns with the A&E department and the pressure the service was under. In fact I have been lobbying Ministers and campaigning for the investment to be made by this Government to transform the department so that it can cope with demand and provide the services and dignity for patients that we all expect.
I know that plans are progressing to undertake that major improvement and redevelopment of the A&E department at the hospital, so this is an ideal moment to put in place these actions.
It was heart breaking to hear the stories from parents, I am determined to work and campaign with them to secure the necessary changes at Queen’s to prevent these distressing problems from happening again.”