'People have been let down once again' as new Sutton hospital to replace 'crumbling' facilities delayed until 2033
The people of Surrey and south-west London have been "let down once again" by a Labour Government announcement that continues the trend of "decades of false promises" over new hospitals in Epsom and Sutton. The area's existing hospitals have been described by local MPs as "crumbling" and "not fit for 21st century healthcare".
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday January 20, the Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that works on a new hospital building in Sutton would not begin until 2033 at the earliest, putting it in 'wave two' of the New Hospital Programme.
The Health Secretary blamed the former Conservative government for an "unfunded and undeliverable" programme, the new government has inherited, which planned to build new hospitals across the UK. In an attempt to "put the programme on a firm footing" the Health Secretary announced they have reworked the timeframes for when these new hospitals will begin construction.
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Most notably; St Helier's Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Sutton. In 2019, the then Conservative government promised £500million for the area as part of the nationwide program which aimed to build 40 new hospitals. Current Labour estimates say the cost of the Sutton hospital is between £1.5billion and £2billion.
"We need to plan and prepare for the catastrophic failure of our buildings"
Dr James Marsh, deputy chief executive of St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals, said: "After decades of false promises, the people of southwest London and Surrey have been let down once again. We have already had to condemn and demolish one of our wards. It’s only a matter of time before other parts of our hospital become unsafe for treating patients.
"We now need to plan and prepare for the catastrophic failure of our buildings which could mean moving patient care into temporary buildings. 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."
Most of the buildings at Epsom and St Helier were built in the early 20th Century, making them older than the NHS itself. Staff are reportedly working in areas with damp mould, leaking roofs, and floods.
In the wake of the announcement of these delays, Sutton & Cheam MP Luke Taylor said: "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."
Rebecca Paul MP said the decision was a significant blow to people living in Reigate and Banstead, particularly those in the north of the constituency, who have long awaited the delivery of fit for purpose healthcare.
The Reigate and Banstead MP added: "This delay is wholly unacceptable. The case for this hospital is crystal clear. The trust is struggling to do its vital work amidst ageing infrastructure, crumbling buildings and too little space. Every year of delay means ever more money wasted on patchwork repairs and stopgap measures as opposed to proper investment in the world-class, state-of-the-art facilities that my constituents deserve.
“Just this month, St Helier was forced to cancel scheduled blood tests because of widespread flooding in the phlebotomy section. This situation is as unacceptable as it is untenable.The Secretary of State is very much mistaken if he thinks he can afford to drag his feet on this for another 10 years.
“It is not good enough to tell my constituents that there is no money available for their new hospital while the Government signs away uncounted billions to Mauritius. The Government has made their choice and disappointingly they haven’t chosen the health and wellbeing of my constituents.”
Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Sutton Council added: "Just this week the blood department was forced to close due to significant flooding linked to the poor state of the building. As a result, many patients had their blood tests cancelled at the last minute."
In August 2024, Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom and Ewell, described the buildings at the St Helier complex in Carshalton and the Epsom site as "crumbling", "dilapidated" and "not fit for 21st century healthcare".
Epsom General Hospital and St Helier Hospital were marked for redevelopment under the previous Conservative governments’ £20bn New Hospital Programme. Regeneration of the health trust was initially delayed until 2027 and included a new emergency hospital in Sutton, as well as much-needed facility upgrades.
The Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals serve more than 490,000 people in south west London and north east Surrey. The hospitals offer an extensive range of services, including cancer, pathology, surgery, and gynaecology. In total, the hospitals have nearly 900,000 people visit for care and treatment every year. Additionally, both sites work in partnership with St George’s Medical School in south London to deliver high quality education and research.