3 September 2008
In July, the Trust announced plans with NHS London, its strategic health authority, to review the way that it is configured with a view to establishing whether there is a better way of managing the hospitals.
The review, which is called Local Needs, Local Health, also involves three other partner organisations: Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust; Surrey Primary Care Trust; and, South East Coast Strategic Health Authority.
At the beginning of August, representatives from the Trust, NHS London and the three other partners met to agree how the review should proceed, including: how it should be run; when it would be implemented; and, the options it would look at.
The partners have agreed to assess a range of options, including, but not limited to:
- Status quo: the Trust remaining as it is;
- De-merger: Epsom and St Helier hospitals de-merging to become two new NHS trusts;
- Divestment: the Trust transferring ownership of part of the organisation to another body, for instance, another hospital, primary care trust or independent provider.
It is recognised that there may be options not included in the above which may be identified. The partners have therefore agreed to consider new options if they are deemed appropriate.
Local Needs, Local Health will be run by a Project Board made up of Executive and Non-Executive directors from the partner organisations. Under this will be a Project Team of senior managers from the five partners. The Project Board will be chaired by NHS London and the Project Team by a Project Director who will report to the Trust. Meetings are now being set for the Project Board and Project Team and a Project Director is being recruited.
A timeline for the review will be drawn up by the Project Board, but it has been agreed that it should be completed by spring 2009. This allows time for a thorough review, whilst resolving the uncertainty surrounding the future of the hospitals as quickly as possible.
Depending on the outcome of the review, plans will then need to be put in place to take forward the proposals, including gaining approval from relevant Boards and, if applicable, consulting with staff and the public.
Samantha Jones, Chief Executive, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are committed to ensuring that the people of Epsom, Sutton, Merton and the surrounding areas have easy access to safe, high quality care in a clean and welcoming environment. The Trust is faced with a number of challenges, including keeping services local, but within finite resources. Local Needs, Local Health aims to help us meet these challenges, so that we can further improve the care we provide to local people."
"It is important to note that Local Needs, Local Health is not about service change, but about seeing if there is a better way to manage our hospitals. The review is an extension of the Trust's current clinical strategy, which aims to develop St Helier and Epsom as local hospitals in line with current national guidance. All possible options for the way we are shaped in the future will need to viable clinically and financially."
Ruth Carnall, Chief Executive, NHS London, said: "We recognise that there has been, for a number of years, a level of uncertainty for local people and staff surrounding the future of Epsom and St Helier hospitals. I am confident that Local Needs, Local Health will allow us to end this speculation, delivering certainty to the local community and staff.
"The Trust and NHS London think it is extremely important that the Trust's doctors, nurses, other clinicians, non-clinicians and volunteers are as involved in the review as possible. With this in mind, one of the first tasks for the Project Board will be to set out plans to engage staff and volunteers in the process."
