Burstow demands answers over St Helier fiasco

5.03.20pm GMT Fri 8th Sep 2006

Local MP Paul Burstow has written to the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt and David Nicholson, Chief Executive of NHS London to demand answers over the future of the St Helier hospital and critical care provision in Sutton and Cheam.

Mr Burstow took action after receiving a copy of a letter from Ms Hewitt to Mr Nicholson, formally withdrawing her decision from December last year to recommend St Helier as the site for a new Critical Care Hospital.

In her letter, Ms Hewitt cites problems obtaining planning permission to build on the green space near the existing hospital and ongoing financial difficulties at the local Primary Care Trusts as the reasons for the withdrawal of her earlier decision.

Mr Burstow's letter to Ms Hewitt expresses his disappointment at the reversal, drawing attention to the fact that the planning advice cited by the Health Secretary is over 18 months old, far pre-dating her original decision to recommend the St Helier location.

The letter goes on to ask for reassurance that the financial difficulties of the local health trust are not the 'precursor to downgrading St Helier hospital'. Mr Burstow also asks how the short term financial difficulties of the trust can so crucially affect decisions on the construction of the new hospital.

Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, has also been pursuing the Health Secretary for answers. Mr Brake tabled a parliamentary question demanding confirmation that the government will authorise the funding necessary to build a new Critical Care Hospital.

Commenting on the issues, Mr Burstow said:

"The future of St Helier and the local NHS are now in the balance. The Secretary of State's extraordinary u-turn calls into questions the future of our local hospitals."

"The stealth cuts are already beginning with Epsom and St Helier NHS trust planning to axe £20m from its budget over the next two years alone. There is a real risk now that remote London NHS bosses will seek to downgrade St Helier."

"I want Patricia Hewitt to guarantee my constituents the investment necessary to renew our hospital so that it is fit to meet the health care needs of local people for generations to come."