In a recent report, it has been confirmed that there would be a public consultation started on July 2, which would decide the fate of accident and emergency departments in north-west London. It was during a meeting at Westminster Central Hall of the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts, that the decision was taken.

It is believed that under the plans, there would be closure of four accident and emergency wards, with the sole aim of improving the healthcare. While it would surely provide patients with better care, those depending on accident and emergency departments at Charing Cross, Ealing, Hammersmith and Central Middlesex hospitals, would surely be at loss.

In the same context, Andrew Slaughter, Labour MP for Hammersmith, avowed, that there was "nothing wrong with economies of scale if you can join forces and do something cheaper that provides more resources, but what we're seeing is a levelling down". There are critics too who are of the view that this plan would push patients to other places for treatment.

There are expectations that this move would allow open discussions on the topic which would be able to change a lot for millions of patients in the time to come. It would be interesting to see how this public consultation would change the future of patients in the time to come.