LONDON — More than 1,000 trade unionists and others joined feeder marches from Southall and Acton to a rally at Ealing Common April 27 to protest government proposals to close accident and emergency (A and E) departments and cut hundreds of beds in Ealing and three other hospitals in Northwest London.

With cuts at four hospitals, “you would need to travel a long way to get to an A and E,” said bus driver and UNITE union member Paul Riley at that action. “That’s the difference between life and death.”

“They say it’s about saving money but it should be about saving lives,” said 24-year-old local resident Jelisha Catnott.

On April 20 thousands of people protested plans to slash services at Stafford Hospital. Save Our Hospitals coalition is planning a protest here May 18.

—JULIE CRAWFORD AND PAMELA HOLMES