In 2021, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust formed a hospital group.
As the Deputy CEO of the group, Dr James Marsh, has responded to the new "wave" system that has been proposed by the Labour government following a review of the New Hospital Programme.
Dr Marsh said: “After decades of false promises, the people of southwest London and Surrey have been let down once again
Every year we delay adds up to £150m to the cost of a new hospital and keeping the current buildings safe to provide care.”
[QUOTE] If the health secretary thinks we can continue to care for patients for 10 years in this building, we invite Wes Streeting to come and see the state of the estate himself
Building Better Healthcare asked Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust where this number came from. The Trust provided this information:
- Backlog maintenance will rise by £180m over five years (or £36m per year)
- Additional £100m per year in construction inflation costs
- Other financial costs relating to our failing estate and the costs of operating acute services on two sites
To support this, the Trust explained that the current maintenance backlog is £150m, and in the past five years has spent £60m on repairs.
[QUOTE] We now need to plan and prepare for the catastrophic failure of our buildings which could mean moving patient care into temporary buildings
As further evidence of this point, Dr Marsh’s statement refers to a ward that has already been condemned.
Dr Marsh said: