Lib Dem MPs: Chancellor has missed "massive opportunity to deliver real change for Epsom & St Helier Hospitals"

Responding to the Spending Review today [Wednesday 11th June], Bobby Dean, Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton & Wallington, Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom & Ewell and Luke Taylor, Liberal Democrat MP for Sutton & Cheam, have criticised the Government for neglecting Epsom & St Helier Hospital with their failure to provide additional investment.

Despite the current backlog at Epsom & St Helier Hospitals standing at £150 million, so far only £12 million has been promised and no further promises were made in today’s Spending Review. 

The new specialist emergency hospital in Sutton borough is in phase two of the Government’s ‘New Hospitals Programme’, with construction not expected to start until 2033 at the earliest.

Bobby Dean, Helen Maguire and Luke Taylor have been calling for the Government to reconsider and move the new specialist emergency hospital into phase one, with many parts of St Helier already “crumbling”.

Responding to the Spending Review, Liberal Democrat MPs Bobby Dean, Helen Maguire and Luke Taylor said:

“The chronic underinvestment in Epsom & St Helier leaves the very future of our hospitals under threat. The Government has missed a massive opportunity to deliver real change for Epsom & St Helier Hospitals.

“The Government recently promised £12 million for Epsom & St Helier, which we welcomed, however this is simply pocket change compared with £150 million our hospitals need right now to repair our crumbling buildings. We were hoping for greater ambition from the Government, however today’s Spending Review leaves us and patients in the dark.

“At every opportunity, we have stood up for patients, our constituents and our hospitals: from Prime Minister’s Questions to Westminster Hall Debates, engaging with the Government to explain just how serious the situation at Epsom & St Helier is.

“Patients at Epsom & St Helier should not have to face such lengthy delays for a fit for purpose hospital. After 14 years of broken promises, the Government has an opportunity to do better. We Liberal Democrats will continue to push the Government at every possible juncture to ensure that they deliver for our constituents.”