Hospital chief to raise urgent concerns about St Helier's deteriorating buildings with national NHS leaders
The Chief Executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust will raise urgent concerns about the deteriorating condition of St Helier Hospital when he meets representatives of the Government's New Hospital Programme on Thursday 5 November.
The meeting comes as the Trust faces increasingly serious challenges maintaining its 90-year-old estate, with infrastructure problems disrupting patient care and placing growing pressure on staff.
Recent problems include the closure of 13 beds in a unit caring for frail and elderly patients, following significant cracks appearing in the walls; repeated lift failures affecting children's services; and essential repairs requiring contingency planning for maternity and neonatal services.
The Trust has spent £60 million in recent years maintaining its ageing buildings, but significant challenges remain.
Group Chief Executive Officer of St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (gesh), Mat Shaw, said: “Our staff should be preparing to move into a modern new hospital. Instead, they are dealing with cracked walls, failing lifts and contingency plans to move mothers and babies so essential repairs can take place.
“They are doing an extraordinary job, but we cannot keep asking them to overcome the problems created by buildings that are reaching the end of their life.
“We will be making clear to the New Hospital Programme that we urgently need investment to address the risks we face now, alongside progress towards the new hospital our patients and communities need.
“We cannot keep spending millions on temporary repairs while the buildings around our patients and staff continue to deteriorate.”
The Trust will be seeking clarity on the immediate capital support available to address the most serious estate risks, as well as the timetable for delivering the new hospital in Sutton.
The Trust will provide an update following the meeting.
