I live very near to where Rob Knox, the teenager stabbed at the Metro Bar in Sidcup recently, died. I walk past the spot outside Somerfields (next to the bar) where the flowers and other "in memoriam" articles have been left.
Notwithstanding the horror of the event - it has shocked a normally peaceful area in a most profound way - one thing has puzzled me about this event.
The news reported that Rob was taken to Queen Elizabeths Hospital in Woolwich where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Queen Elizabeth's, whilst an excellent hospital, is over 5 miles away from the incident. My point is there is an excellent Accident and Emergency Centre at Queen Mary's hospital in Sidcup which is less than a mile away.
Would taking Rob to the much nearer Queen Mary's made a difference? I don't know but it could have - he wasn't pronounced dead until he arrived at Queen Elizabeths.
Why did they choose a hospital nearly six times further away, with much busier roads instead of the straight line journey to Queen Mary's?
I haven't heard anything about this. Could it be that they are routing A&E traffic away from Queen Mary's as a precursor to closing it down? If that is true it is an absolute disgrace.
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