Council pledge to fight hospital closure

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

A council has pledged to fight the closure of a hospital’s accident and emergency department.

Merton council is set to commission its own independent impact assessment to “truly demonstrate the impact moving vital services” away from St Helier Hospital, in Wrythe Lane, Sutton, would have on people.

It comes a week after an outgoing boss at St Helier Hospital, Dr Ruth Charlton, revealed wards have been forced to close due to the sinking foundations of the building.

The hospital is supposed to be refurbished as part of an overhaul of emergency care in South London.

A separate emergency hospital is planned for Sutton which would include an accident and emergency department, critical care, acute medicine, emergency surgery, inpatient paediatrics and a maternity unit.

Council leader Councillor Ross Garrod said the authority had been pushed to do this because the government had “ignored” calls for a new assessment in the wake of the pandemic.

He said: “We have long campaigned to save St Helier – our much-loved community hospital where hard working staff provide critical care for our residents.

“I am appalled that the Government is intent on moving lifesaving health services away from the most deprived area of Merton.

“The decision to downgrade services at St Helier Hospital – closing the emergency, maternity, and children’s in-patient services – fails to understand the needs of residents living in the area surrounding the hospital, who have the lowest life expectancy in the borough and are more likely to be in poor health – living with chronic conditions and disabilities which require continued hospital care.”

Neil O’Brien, parliamentary under-secretary of state for primary care and public health, said concerned residents will have to wait for an update on the new Sutton hospital.

He said the government is “hopefully coming towards a decision and an announcement in the very near future”.

He said: “We are planning a range of events and communication about the decisions that we will make on this matter in the near future.

“It is perhaps frustrating that I cannot say more today, but I pay tribute to Mr Colburn’s incredible work in making the case and, in fairness, helping his local NHS to make the case for the investment that he is calling for.”

Pictured top: Merton council leader Ross Garrod outside St Helier Hospital (Picture: Merton council)