Fighting for the future of Epsom Hospital
This web page will provide regular updates about the ongoing campaign to secure the future of Epsom Hospital.
You will find details of latest developments, plus Chris's submission to the NHS to build the planned new hospital at Epsom, at a fraction of the cost of doing so elsewhere.
For further information, please email Chris at graylingc@parliament.uk.
Renewed threat to maternity services
Local MP Chris Grayling is afraid that Epsom Hospital likely to come under renewed threat this spring, following reports that the Trust is reconsidering a move to a single site for maternity services. "If the rumours are true," warns Chris, "all of us in Epsom must be ready to start the campaign to save our maternity service going again in the next few weeks. There is no support in Epsom for our hospital to lose this essential service."
HOSPITAL PLANS SHELVED - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
Local NHS Managers have agreed to put the plans to transfer maternity and childrens' services from Epsom Hospital to St Helier on hold until they know what the future is for St Helier more about plans shelved
Hospital Protestors send a message to Gordon
Protestors
campaigning to save maternity services at Epsom Hospital took
their message to Downing Street on Wednesday 27 June - the
day that Gordon Brown became Britain's Prime Minister more about hospital protestors send a message to Gordon
Fight the Closure of Maternity June 2007
The Epsom and St Helier Trust has taken the decision to close Epsom Hospital's maternity department and transfer all inpatient services to St Helier. The decision has to be ratified after a public consultation this autumn...planning a series of protest events to get the NHS to change its mind more about fight the closure of maternity June 2007
Hospital Trust Votes To Scrap Epsom Maternity
At a stormy meeting on Friday June 7th, the Epsom and St Helier Trust Board voted to close Epsom's Inpatient Maternity and Paediatric Unit from next August, 2008. Despite a huge crowd of protestors, which led to people being turned away from the meeting because it was so full, and despite bitter protests from doctors and members of the public, the Board voted to press ahead more about hospital Trust votes to scrap Epsom maternity
Five hundred people turned out to support Chris and other members of the Epsom Hospital campaign on the march from St Helier to Epsom Hospital on 5 May. Pushing a hospital trolley through the streets, the marchers stopped for public meetings in Nonsuch Park and Rosebery Park, where crowds of supporters gathered to voice their concern at plans to downgrade hospital services in the area.
NEW HOSPITAL PROTEST
On May 5th a small group of protestors and staff will be marching from St Helier to Epsom to highlight the current threats to all of our local hospital services, as well as most immediately for us in Epsom, the huge question mark over the future of Epsom Hospital more about new hospital protest
Epsom Hospital Update Campaign Update March 2007
There have been a number of developments on the hospital front, which Chris is afraid make things look still bleaker for Epsom more about Epsom Hospital update campaign - March 2007
Hospital Campaign Update - February 2007
The NHS has decided not to press ahead with the proposed transfer of maternity services from Epsom to St Helier at the moment, as it can't afford to make the necessary investment in a bigger unit at St Helier. There are now also increasing uncertainties about the future of St Helier Hospital, which is under threat from a review of hospital services in South West London more about Hospital campaign update - Feburary 2007
Carols and candlelight for hospital campaign
Hospital
protestors gathered outside Epsom Hospital after dark on December
15th to sing carols by candlelight more about carols and candlelight for hospital campaign
Epsom and St Helier agrees maternity cutbacks.
The Epsom and St Helier Trust has agreed to put plans to either close or downgrade Epsom's maternity department to public consultation. The news comes after weeks of speculation that cutbacks were imminent.
Chris Grayling said: "This is disastrous news for Epsom" more about Epsom and St Helier agreed maturnity cutbacks
Widespread NHS cutbacks forecast.
The NHS is in the latter stages of preparing a consultation document which is likely to recommend further dramatic cuts to hospital services in Surrey more about widespread NHS cutbacks forecast
Can the Sheriff ride to the rescue?
Chris Grayling has been joined by other Surrey MPs in welcoming proposals from the former Chairman of Epsom Hospital, and currrent High Sheriff of the County, Adrian White to take over Epsom Hospital and to run it as a charitable trust led by local doctors and members of the local community more about can the Sheriff ride to the rescue?
LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN
Following the rally, we are organising a further letter writing campaign
to keep up pressure on the board of the two Trusts involved in the
future of Epsom Hospital more about letter writing campaign
New Maternity Protest Rally
Chris Grayling and staff and unions at Epsom will be holding a protest rally against the proposed changes to maternity at the hospital on Saturday 30th September. All are welcome to join the protest - more about new maternity protest rally
Critical Care Centre kicked into the long grass
The planned future new critical care hospital, which was due originally to be built in Sutton to replace the acute centres at Epsom and St Helier, and was then switched on the instructions of the Government to St Helier last year, appears to have been shelved indefinitely for financial reasons. The announcement by the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt followed a letter from the boss of the NHS in London in which he raised doubts about the affordability of the project more about critical care centre kicked into the long grass
Rally to save maternity services.
Several hundred people joined Chris and Mole Valley MP Sir Paul Beresford at a rally to protest against plans to transfer many maternity services from Epsom to St Helier. After a photocall by the hospital gate, most of those who came - along with a large number of children in pushchairs - crammed into the hospital's training room for the monthly board meeting in public. There protestors told members of the board how strongly opposed local people are to the planned changes. The board will consider options for maternity during the summer, and it appears that a final decision has been put back until the autumn.
Chris said: "I hope that the scale of the protest will give the board members food for thought, and will encourage them to change their minds about the changes proposed for maternity. Whatever the plans for local hospitals, very few people in Epsom want to see maternity transferred to St Helier."
Rally to save Maternity Services at Epsom
Chris is hoping that a rally at Epsom Hospital on 2nd June will increase the pressure on NHS managers to rethink plans to downgrade maternity services there. The NHS wants to transfer the bulk of its maternity services to St Helier, leaving Epsom with a much smaller unit with no special care facilities and no emergency cover - creating the risk that mothers needing emergency treatment will have to be rushed to St Helier by ambulance mid-labour. "All of us in the Epsom area value our local hospital, and realise that a proper maternity service is crucial to preserving Epsom's future, particularly given the huge uncertainty over plans for a new hospital," says Chris. "I hope that as many people as possible will join us at the rally outside the hospital at 10 o'clock on 2nd June to protest at the plans."
Further information about the rally will be appearing on this site in the next few days.
Epsom Hospital - Maternity Unit set for Transfer to St Helier.
There has been a major and very unwelcome development which will require very urgent action from us locally if we are to have any chance of stopping it more about Epsom Hospital - Maternity Unit set for transfer to St Helier
Government intervenes to scrap Sutton plan and go to St Helier
The Secretary of State Patricia Hewitt has ordered the NHS to build its planned new critical care hospital at St Helier and not in Sutton. The move has prompted a furious row with senior managers in the NHS who believe the decision is wrong. The decision followed action from the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, who put direct pressure on Ministers to switch the project away from Sutton. It's now expected that key services at Epsom will disappear within months.
Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling said: "This is the worst possible outcome for residents in Surrey, who now face the loss of key hospital services close to their homes. It makes a complete mockery of the name of the programme - 'Better Healthcare Closer to Home'. I am now looking to see if there is any way we can challenge this one sided process."
Chris Grayling's
letter to Patricia Hewitt
Patricia Hewitt's
letter
We won't give up on Epsom Hospital
Local MP Chris Grayling has pledged to continue to fight for the future of Epsom Hospital, following the NHS decision to downgrade Epsom and build a new hospital in Sutton. Thousands of local people have backed the cross-Party campaign to protect the hospital in the past few months more about we won't give up on Epsom Hospital
NHS picks Sutton for new hospital
NHS Managers have recommended building a new hospital at Sutton to replace Epsom and St Helier. The news has been greeted with anger in both the Epsom and St Helier areas. This is the document which the NHS has published setting out the reasons for the decision.
Report for consideration by the Boards of Epsom St Helier
NHS Trust, Sutton & Merton Primary Care Trust and East Elmbridge
and Mid Surrey Primary Care Trust.
View as PDF
(204 pages, approx 1MB).
Consultant letter attacks hospital consultation and calls for Epsom-St Helier divorce
MP threatens judicial review if St Helier plan goes ahead.
Virtually all the consultants working at Epsom Hospital have signed a letter criticising the plans to build a new critical care hospital for the area and calling for a split between Epsom and St Helier. The move represents a major setback for the project, which has been sold to Ministers and the public alike as having full backing from local doctors more about Consultant letter attacks hospital consultation and calls for Epsom-St Helier divorce
Next Stage of Campaign Launched - Public Meetings and Rally planned
The next stage of the Epsom Hospital Campaign has begun with the announcement of two further public meetings and a rally in support of the hospital. These will coincide with the official NHS consultation into the future of hospital services and are designed to ensure that as many people as possible from Surrey respond to the consultation. more about next stage of campaign launched - public meetings and rally planned
Priests Hill Emerges as New Site Alternative
Priests Hill, the open space next to NESCOT and Ewell East station has emerged as a surprise alternative for the proposed new hospital to serve the area. The site scores highly on the points system being used by the NHS to choose sites for the proposed new hospitals. But its location on green belt land makes it a highly problematic option. more about Priests Hill emerges as a new site alternative
Petition prompts divorce review
The NHS has agreed to carry out a detailed review of the divorce option between Epsom and St Helier in the wake of the Epsom Hospital Campaign petition asking for future decisions on local hospitals not to neglect the interests of Surrey residents. more about petition prompts divorce review
MP calls for divorce as NHS looks to St Helier
Local MP Chris Grayling has called for a split between Epsom and St Helier hospitals as the NHS's review of hospital services looks increasingly likely to recommend the building of two new hospitals at St Helier and the downgrading of Epsom more about MP calls for divorce as NHS looks to St Helier
Petition passes 25,000
Well over 25,000 people have now signed the petition challenging the NHS over the future of Epsom Hospital and signatures continue to arrive for submission to the NHS. In the face of this public pressure local NHS managers in surrey have said that they will look at the possibility of a Surrey only option as part of the work they do over the next few months
"I am hugely grateful so many people have backed our campaign", says Chris Grayling, "and that so many people, representing different groups, parties and organisations in the area have clubbed together to make this petition so successful. It's been a great team effort"
Hospital Action Day takes petition past 10,000
The
total number of people backing the Epsom Hospital Campaign
has passed 10,000, following an Action Day held at locations
across the area on Saturday 29th May. Teams of supporters
collected signatures for the campaign petition at Sainsbury's
in Kiln Lane, Asda in Burgh Heath, in Epsom Town Centre and
at Ashtead Village Day. In total the effort collected nearly
2,000 extra names more about Hospital action day takes petition past 10,000
NHS publishes new thinking on hospital project
The NHS has published a new set of papers outlining its thinking on the future of local hospitals. These are part of the preparations for its forthcoming discussions about the project. The papers are attached below so you can see them.
MP says Trust divorce may be the only option
Chris Grayling MP has written to the six key senior managers involved in the review of local hospitals warning them that if a decision is taken that works against the interests of residents and patients from Surrey, he will campaign for a split in the Epsom and St Helier Trust more about MP says Trust divorce may be the only option
More than 800 attend meetings as hospital campaign is launched
More than eight hundred people have so far attended the series of public meetings being organised by the team campaigning for Epsom Hospital. The meetings, led by Chris Grayling MP and Councillor Chris Frost, and supported by local councillors from the Residents Associations, Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties, are being held in venues across the area. More will be held in parts of Mole Valley later in May more about more than 800 attend meetings as hospital campaign is launched
Details of hospital campaign public meetings
The planned public meetings for the Epsom Hospital Campaign ahead of the decision over the future of the hospital have now been confirmed. The meetings, called by local MP Chris Grayling and the team working on the hospital campaign, will be held on the following dates.
Tuesday 27th April 2004 at 8.30 pm.
St. Joseph's Church Hall, Epsom.
Friday 30th April 2004 at 6 pm.
Stoneleigh Baptist Church
Friday 30th April 2004 at 8 pm.
All Saints Church Hall,
Fulford Road, West Ewell
Wednesday 5th May 2004 at 8.30 pm.
St.George's Christian Centre, Ashtead
~ in the Church
Thursday 6th May 2004 at 8 pm
St. Mary the Virgin, The Avenue,
Worcester Park KT4 7HL
Tuesday 11th May 2004 at 8.30 pm.
Gt. Tattenhams Methodist Church
Hospital decision date announced
Senior NHS Managers have confirmed that the decisions about the future of the hospital will be taken at a meeting on June 17th at a neutral venue in Croydon. Responding to the news, Chris Grayling said: "I remain extremely worried about a process where decisions are taken without adequate answers to questions about the financing of this. Frankly, the process feels to many people like an academic one, with the decision having really already been taken."
Trust publishes Criteria for Decision
The Project Team planning a new hospital to serve the Epsom and St Helier area have published the criteria they will use to decide where they will build their new acute hospital and the network of proposed local care centres. The documents which set out the approach are set out below, together with the letter sent to stakeholders by the Chairman of the East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey Primary Care Trust. If you have any comments about the criteria, you should write to her as soon as possible.
Keith
Ford 1.1 Working Papers
Keith
Ford Working Paper 1
Keith
Ford 1.3 Financial Considerations
Keith
Ford Working Paper 3
Keith
Ford Working Paper 4
MPs Challenge NHS over finances.
Four local MPs, including Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling, have challenged the NHS over the financial structure of the reconfiguration project for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals. In a joint letter to the South West London Strategic Health Authority, they said that the NHS had still to provide answers about how the project would be paid for - and warned that other services might have to be cut if the NHS builds a brand new hospital rather than rebuilding Epsom for the future more about MPs challenge NHS over finances
New Campaign Group Established
A new campaign steering group has been established to spearhead efforts in mid-Surrey to convince the NHS that Epsom is the best location for its proposed new acute hospital. The Group draws together representatives from the County Council, local boroughs and districts, local MPs, business groups, doctors and volunteers involved with the hospital and local healthcare more about new campaign group established
Trust plans site choice in early 2004
The Epsom and St Helier Trust is planning to take final decisions about the future sites for its hospital services early in 2004. The Trust will publish the criteria it intends to use to select the main site for the planned single acute hospital in the first few weeks of the year, and then intends to take the decision shortly after that more about Trust plans site choice in early 2004
TRUST CHANGES PRESERVE SERVICES AT EPSOM
The Epsom and St Helier Trust has put forward a revised set of proposals for Epsom Hospital which tackle the operational problems it has faced without changing the structure of services at Epsom. The plan involves changes to the way the hospital provides cover for night time staff, but retains the full 24 hour emergency service at Epsom. In addition, the Trust is to relocate the out-of-hours GP service to Epsom Hospital to provide extra support for patients who come to the A&E Department with less serious problems more about Trust changes preserve services at Epsom
TRUST WITHDRAWS CONTROVERSIAL PLANS AFTER HUGE PUBLIC PROTEST
The
Epsom and St Helier Trust has announced that it is withdrawing
its controversial document that recommended the downgrading
of Epsom Hospital after a furious public reaction to the plan.
Around 400 people attended a special public meeting organised
by local MP Chris Grayling at the Methodist Church in Epsom
to protest against the Trust's proposals - but instead heard
that the Trust had contacted Chris just before the meeting
to say that they would scrap the document more about Trust withdraws controversial plans after huge public protest
Statement
from hospital
Accident and Emergency Department faces closure
The Epsom and St Helier Trust has prepared plans (Sept 2003) to close Epsom's Accident and Emergency Department. They want to leave the site with just a minor injuries unit. Although the Trust has publicly denied that a decision has been taken and they have stressed that most patients will continue to be treated at Epsom, they conspicuously failed to commit to the future of the full accident and emergency department. more about accident and emergency department faces closure
Campaign Relaunched with Major Hospital Proposal
This is the text of a document that Chris has submitted to the NHS calling for the construction of a major new hospital at Epsom. Please have a look at the plans, and let Chris know what you think - either using the feedback section on this site, or by email to graylingc@parliament.uk.
Most people in our area are aware of the review being carried out by the NHS into the future of healthcare in our area. The current plan is to devolve many of the services currently provided by the two District General Hospitals to a network of local care centres and eventually to amalgamate acute hospital services on a single site.
This proposal does not seek to prejudge the final decision on that issue. Whatever the final decision, it will be a difficult step to take. But if the single site option is selected, there is an overwhelming case for the final site chosen to be Epsom. That has not always been clear in the debates and discussions in the past few years. This document aims to set that right.
In the event that the NHS decides to proceed with the single hospital option, this document sets out costed plans for the development of such a hospital on the Epsom site. This option would cost the NHS approximately £100 million, around £150 million less than building an entirely new hospital elsewhere, and would site the acute centre at the geographical centre of the area served by the Epsom and St Helier Trust. Epsom is also the site that, based on the Government's own figures, is the most accessible to the greatest number of patients and is the only option that has direct public transport links to all of the area covered by the Trust. more about campaign relaunched with major hospital proposal
Chris Grayling's March Submission Over the Future of Epsom Hospital
In overall terms, the concept of local care centres is an interesting one, and based on the responses I have received to date, more than 70% are interested in pursuing the idea. People who responded to me were much more divided over the ability of the primary care sector to play the active role that you envisage for them - there is a definite sense that local doctors are already too busy. Based on conversations I have had with local GPs, I share this view. Although some - like Tim Richardson - are clearly very enthusiastic about the approach, not all share his views more about Chris Grayling's march submission over the future of Epsom Hospital
Next Stage of Consultation Later This Summer
The Epsom and St Helier Trust is reported to be planning a further consultation on the future of Epsom and St Helier Hospitals later this summer. The Trust has yet to set a firm timetable for the next stage of the process, but it is understood to be planning a submission to the Secretary of State about its future plans later this year.
The Trust's initial discussion document was available on its website, http://www.epsom- sthelier.nhs.uk/pages/clinicalstrategy.html (Service review information can be found at: http://www.epsom-sthelier.nhs.uk/6_1.html.
Budget Fiasco Could Hasten Changes
The outcome of the budget dispute between the Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust and the East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey Primary Care Trust could speed up the process of change in the two local hospitals. The dispute was over a payment of £2.1m which Epsom and St Helier claimed it was owed by the Primary Care Trust. An independent arbitration panel ruled that only a small part of the money was actually owed. Chris has already had discussions with the Trust about the implications of the situation, which will mean reduced services to local people more about budget fiasco could hasten changes
