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GMB have called on the public to strongly oppose the downgrading of Epsom and St Helier hospitals after NHS bosses announced that they are going to a formal consultation on the plans.
Last month, the Government announced that Epsom and St Helier hospitals will receive a cash boost of £500 million to remove all acute services from St Helier Hospital and Epsom Hospital. A&E, Maternity, Children's Services, Intensive Care, Emergency Surgery and Medicine, Cancer Care and Coronary Care will all be cut down for the local population and GMB members who work in the hospitals will also face adverse changes to their terms and conditions.
A brand new ‘facility’ will be constructed following the double downgrade of the existing hospitals which will offer a reduced level of service to a growing population.
‘Keep Our St Helier Hospital’ will be holding two public meetings on 24th October in Morden and 12th Nov in Epsom.
Helen O’Connor, GMB Regional Organiser said:
"It seems perverse that a funding grant can lead to a cutback in the NHS but this is what the Tories do. They are ideologically opposed to the idea of the NHS and they use all methods including promises of large sums of cash to dispose of it bit by bit.
"This swingeing cut will badly affect hospital staff and patients alike which is why everyone needs to unite and fight back to protect the NHS.
"People will die if they have to be transported to an A+E department that is further away from where they live and reduced service will mean that local people will suffer. When you or a member of your family collapses, is in pain or can’t breathe you will want to be able to get into the NHS quick.
"GMB members working for Mitie, the facilities management company contracted by the hospitals, have voted to reject an insulting pay rise that will lead them straight to the local foodbank and patient transport workers are being denied a full NHS agenda for change NHS contract. These are tactics designed to demoralise the NHS workforce and make them leave the health service. Epsom and St Helier GMB members are quite rightly questioning why there is no money to ensure that they get pay they can live on.
"GMB members and the population of Epsom and St Helier need to join forces to resist this deadly cut to our NHS!"
Contact: Helen O’Connor 07506 711574 or GMB Southern Press Office 07970 114762
Notes to Editors
Previous GMB Press Release
Epsom and St Helier NHS Staff To Remain On Poverty Pay As The Trust Is Due To Receive £500 Million In Government Funding (1 October 2019)
https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/news/epsom-and-st-helier-poverty-pay
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