Grand openings: Local MP makes it official for new services at Epsom Hospital

The Rt Hon Chris Grayling, MP for Epsom and Ewell, has officially opened the Eye Unit and brand new Cardiology Day Unit at Epsom Hospital.

Before unveiling the special commemorative plaque in the Eye Unit, which opened its doors for the first time earlier in the year following a £1.2million investment, Mr Grayling met with staff and was given a tour of the state-of-the-art facility, including the cutting edge equipment and modern fixtures and fittings throughout.

It was then time to cut the ribbon to the Cardiology Day Unit, which sits adjacent to the Eye Unit in block G (Woodcote Wing). The new service has allowed the trust to expand the range of care offered to cardiac patients, providing a waiting and recovery area for people undergoing investigative procedures in the mobile Cardiac Catheterisation Unit (often referred to as a cath lab).

On opening both units, Chris said: “I was very glad to be invited to do the honours and declare both the Eye Unit and Cardiology Day Unit officially open. The transformation this part of the hospital has undergone is quite something, and I am excited to see not one, but two new services at Epsom Hospital.

“I am very impressed by the range of equipment and facilities available in both units, and have no doubt that the local community will benefit greatly from what has been achieved here. As delighted as I am to have met the teams this afternoon, I hope not to have to visit again too soon! Although I know that if I did, I would be exceptionally well cared for. Well done, and congratulations on all of the good work you are doing.”

Trust Chief Executive Daniel Elkeles, who joined Chris in opening the new units, said: “It was a great pleasure to have Chris come and open the Eye Unit and Cardiology Day Unit, two areas we are extremely proud of and very excited about.

Chris Grayling cutting the ribbon in the Cardiology Day Unit

“We are thrilled to be offering, for the first time, a cardiac catheterisation service, which allows us to perform a greater range of cardiac procedures on site. We’re curre

ntly only running the cath lab at Epsom fortwo days per week, but its presence is already having a very positive impact. In just two weeks we have seen 19 patients, all of whom without the cath lab and C

ardiology Day Unit would have needed transfer to another hospital for further investigation. Having this service on site means we are able to provide greater continuity of care to our patients, which we know is important to both them and our clinicians.

“I am very grateful to everyone who has been involved in getting this project off of the ground, particularly Dr Richard Bogle and team, and for all of the effort they have put into making it a success from the outset.

“In the Eye Unit, we have created a first-class facility that offers a fantastic range of eye care services in Epsom and its surrounding areas. The Friends of Epsom Hospital have been particularly generous in their support of the new Eye Unit, donating £140,000 to the purchase of equipment, so it was a great pleasure to have Dr Geoffrey Robb, Chairman of The Friends, and some of his colleagues with us on the afternoon of the opening. My thanks to everyone involved in getting the unit up and running, and to the Ophthalmology team who are using the brilliant new facilities to deliver great care to their patients.”