GMB support public meeting against the selling off of land at Epsom and St Helier hospitals
“The gradual selling off the site alongside the demoralisation of the outsourced hospital workers is a real risk to the stability of service delivery to the local community”, says GMB Southern
GMB Southern, the union for staff at St Helier and Epsom Hospitals, are supporting a public meeting in Epsom, against the selling off 20% of land and buildings at Epsom Hospital as part of the plan to downgrade the hospital by removing many of the acute services provided.
The St Helier and Epsom Hospitals NHS Trust has guaranteed to maintain acute services at both hospitals till 2020. After that there are proposals to close these acute services at both Epsom Hospital and St Helier Hospital:
- Accident and emergency
- Consultant led maternity
- Paediatrics
- Emergency medicine and surgery
- Intensive care
- Cancer centre
- Coronary care
Details for the event are as follows:
Tuesday 21 May 2019 at 7:30 PM
Epsom Methodist Church
Ashley Road
Epsom
KT18 5AQ
Invited speakers include Dr Bob Gill and Dr Paul Hobday.
Paul Maloney, GMB Regional Secretary said: "Management for St Helier and Epsom Hospitals NHS Trust have claimed that a high percentage of the people asked were in favour of downgrading both existing acute hospitals in favour of the new single facility at a site yet to be identified which will involve a loss of 250 acute beds.
"However, if you ask people across South West London and Epsom if, in the light of ONS population projections which show a population growth of 23.9% by 2039, if it is sensible to reduce 5 acute hospitals to 4 the overwhelming majority will say that it is the wrong answer.
"GMB are calling on the St Helier and Epsom Hospitals NHS Trust to withdraw the strategic outline case submitted to NHS Improvement and begin consultations again making clear that we face an unprecedented growth in population and that rebuilding acute hospitals on the existing sites is the only sensible case. It will be expensive but the growing population will generate an expansion of the tax base to pay for this.
"The local politicians and local political parties have to level with the electorate that a growing population will require more facilities not less. Kidding themselves and hoodwinking the electorate that savings are possible in the NHS faced with an additional 372,569 in population by 2039 is just not on. It's time for all to face reality and plan for it.
"Privatised Mitie St Helier workers have not had their agenda for change pay rise. Not only is the hospital land being sold off but hospital workers terms and conditions are under attack. The gradual selling off the site alongside the demoralisation of the outsourced hospital workers is a real risk to the stability of service delivery to the local community."
Contact: Helen O’Connor 07506 711574 or GMB Southern Press Office 07970 114 762
Notes to Editors:
1] GMB attend public meeting to keep St Helier and Epsom hospitals open (18 April 2018) https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/news/gmb-attend-public-meeting-to-keep-st-helier-and-epsom-hospitals-open
2] GMB call for St Helier and Epsom Hospitals NHS Trust to halt plans to remove acute services following population growth projection (21 March 2018) https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/news/gmb-call-for-st-helier-epsom-nhs-trust-halt-plans-remove-acute-services
3] GMB slam St Helier and Epsom NHS Trust chief executive for hoodwinking electorate (15 March 2018) https://www.gmb-southern.org.uk/news/gmb-slam-st-helier-epsom-nhs-trust-chief-executive-for-hoodwinking-electorate
