We have launched our campaign to secure the £35million in funding we need to transform our A&E at Queen’s Hospital and put an end to caring for patients in our corridors.

We’re grateful for the backing of our local MPs and we’d appreciate your support too - contact your local MP.

A department not fit for purpose

Queen's A&E was designed in 2006 to care for a maximum of 325 people a day. We now see, on average, more than double that every day and it has been particularly bad over the winter period. December 2024 was our busiest month ever with nearly 31,000 patients attending our A&Es; on one day we had 752 patients seeking urgent and emergency care at Queen’s alone.

The increase in demand isn’t a one off. Year-on-year, we’re seeing thousands more patients attend our A&Es resulting in patients facing long waits and being cared for in our corridors.

This is unacceptable. It’s a poor experience for our patients, their families and our staff.

It also costs us £100k a month in additional staffing needed to care for these patients. A redesigned A&E, that is fit for purpose, will help end this.

MP support

MPs, who have witnessed what it’s like in the department, have also shared their support for the campaign and the need for a new department.

Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford, said:

I fully support the campaign to secure the necessary funding for the transformation of our A&E at Queen’s. On the many visits that I have made to the hospital in my capacity as the MP for Romford, I have seen firsthand the lifesaving work of the team at Queen’s, but I’m afraid that the resources are simply not there to meet ever-increasing demand.

This initiative is crucial for ensuring that our community receives the highest standard of emergency care when we need it most. I urge everyone from our region to join us in this campaign and show their support for this vital cause.

Julia Lopez, MP for Hornchurch and Upminster, has also been pushing for the much needed funding:

To get better emergency care for residents, I’ve been pushing ministers to fund the redevelopment of Queen’s A&E. The redevelopment has been made possible now that some services have moved from Queen’s Hospital into the brand new £17m St. George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub in Hornchurch which we managed to deliver last year.

I’ve been supporting this campaign for a few months now and look forward to continuing to work with Queen’s on this important campaign which will improve healthcare here in Havering.

Margaret Mullane, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, added: 

There is a desperate need to expand the capacity of the A&E department at Queen's Hospital. The staff are amazing; they go above and beyond to deliver the best care they can, but Queen’s Hospital was only designed with a capacity in A&E for around 300 patients a day, currently the number is often up to 750 with over 100 ambulance arrivals.  

I have recently written to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and followed that up with a request to meet the Chair and Chief Executive of North East London NHS to press the case for investment at Queen's. I am determined to help Queen’s Hospital realise its potential so that people in Dagenham and Rainham have access to outstanding healthcare.