Lib Dem MPs hit out at ANOTHER delay to St Helier rebuild

The two Liberal Democrat MPs representing Sutton have today hit out at the Government for once again failing to confirm new funding for the Epsom and St Helier NHS trust. 

Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Health Secretary confirmed that works on a new hospital building would not begin until 2032 at the earliest, putting the hospital in “Wave Two” of the new hospital scheme. The hospital has been the subject of a long-standing Liberal Democrat campaign to address its serious safety concerns and crumbling infrastructure.

Commenting on the news, Carshalton & Wallington MP Bobby Dean said: 

“As the media coverage has shown and the local community knows all too well, St Helier Hospital has been neglected for far too long. Despite Conservative promises that the new building would be completed this year, St Helier has instead been left to rot.”

“This shocking decision to delay plans to upgrade St Helier directly threatens the future of our local hospital. There is no longer any guarantee it can carry on as it is.

“Sadly, the community has been here before - but I will not give up the fight. It makes no sense to delay. Every year it costs millions to patch up the run-down buildings. The standard of care continues to get worse. This Government must see sense and urgently reverse their disastrous decision.”

Sutton & Cheam MP Luke Taylor said:

“Here we go again. This Government promised change, but all they have delivered is yet another disastrous delay whilst patients languish in corridors and surgeries get cancelled. We must call it what it is - an outrage.

“The people of Sutton will rightly be exasperated that they have been overlooked once again. We cannot go on like this. The Government has one last chance to do the right thing and change course. They should speed up this process quickly.”