A hospital trust has launched an investigation into the death of a toddler after he was taken to an Enfield hospital that had recently closed its accident and emergency unit.

Campaigners that fought against the closure of Chase Farm Hospital’s A&E have labelled the death of two-year-old Muhammad Hashir Naveed “disgraceful.”

The Oakwood toddler was taken to the hospital in The Ridgeway, Enfield, in the early hours of Wednesday, January 15 but only realised on arrival that the A&E unit was no longer in operation.

The child was taken to North Middlesex Hospital in Sterling Way, Edmonton, but was pronounced dead at approximately 4am.

Chase Farm’s A&E unit was closed down on December 9, 2013 following years of protests and battles by campaigners.

Its fate was sealed at the Royal Courts of Justice when a legal appeal from Enfield Borough Council was rejected.

The service was replaced by an urgent care centre on the site which is opened seven days a week from 9am to 9pm.

Chief campaigner for the North East London Council of Action Bill Rogers believes the toddler's death has highlighted everything they feared when the closure was made.

He said: “This has been the first tragedy brought to light but we don’t know how many other times this could have happened in the past month.

“This reflects everything we campaigned for and we said if you lose an accident and emergency in the borough people will die. People will have go elsewhere and this causes huge pressure on places like North Mid and Barnet.

“It is absolutely disgraceful that such a death has occurred and I fear that this won’t be the last.”

A spokesperson for Barnet and Chase Farm hospital trust said: “We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family on the loss of their son.

“The new urgent care centre at Chase Farm Hospital is open from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. There is an emergency phone at the entrance for patients who arrive outside these hours.

“The trust can confirm that an ambulance was called immediately by trust staff. The child was attended to on site where resuscitation was initiated. The child was placed in the care of the London Ambulance Service who continued to resuscitate him during the transfer to North Middlesex University Hospital.

“A full investigation is underway to ensure the appropriate actions were taken.”

Enfield North MP Nick de Bois said: “My deepest sympathies go to the parents and family for the tragic and shocking loss of their son.

“They went to Chase Farm in good faith under the most distressing circumstances, thinking that this was the right place to go in the middle of the night.

“The hospital authorities are now effectively asking residents in extreme moments of stress often desperately worried about their loved ones to distinguish between and urgent care centre and accident and emergency unit which is something few of us are qualified to do.”

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