Chris Grayling

The process of deciding the future of Epsom Hospital is now well under way. The divorce between Epsom and St Helier is now definitely happening, and is likely to be completed over the next year or so.

After much internal debate in the NHS, the decision was taken to seek a partnership for Epsom with one of the other Surrey Trusts. At the other end of the Trust, a similar decision was taken in London for St Helier.

Although in an ideal world Epsom would be able to stand alone as an independent hospital, the reality is that the scale of cost of doing things today and the role played by training in the NHS means that it is difficult for a smaller hospital to function without a bigger partner.

For me the key is retaining the services on the Epsom site, and having a partner who is committed to expanding what Epsom does. In particular, I think there is a great opportunity for Epsom to attract patients from a wider area as it did in the 1990s when GP fund holding was in operation. The new arrangements in the NHS will allow this to happen again.

Two Surrey Trusts have put their names forward as potential partners for Epsom. They are the Royal Surrey County Hospital at Guildford and Ashford and St Peters in Chertsey. I have now met both Trust Chief Executives to talk about their plans for Epsom, and have told them clearly that they are welcome if they are coming to build up Epsom, and they will meet huge resistance if they plan to downgrade it.

Having had those discussions I am confident that they are ambitious for Epsom. It simply wouldn't make practical sense to transfer services to either site - patients from the north part of the Borough would simply head to somewhere like Kingston.

But for an ambitious hospital trust, the chance to build an exciting centre close to the London border is one that should be attractive - and I have a sense that both the potential partners see Epsom in this light.

The two Surrey trusts have until November to bring forward their proposals, which will then be judged by our local NHS managers. The winner will be announced after that.

The Epsom Hospital campaign team continues to monitor the situation closely, but at the moment there are far more worries at the other end of the Trust, where only St George's has come forward with plans to merge with St Helier, and where many local people are concerned about the future.

So for now it's fingers crossed - but the prospects for Epsom look brighter than they have for some time.