Where’s the money for our hospital?

It’s been great to see Sutton in the news recently as one of the top places to live in England. What has not been so good is when we’ve seen on our TV screens more stories about the failing building at St Helier Hospital.

There can be no more delay. Sutton must now be at the front of the queue for funding the much needed upgrades and a new hospital building.  

I’ve written before about the challenges faced by staff trying to care for their patients in a crumbling building that is way past its sell by date. 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.

Interviews with the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Nurse showed how hard staff are working to provide patients with the health care they deserve whilst literally the wards are disintegrating before them.

As Leader of the Council, I meet regularly with local NHS bosses and we all agree that there can be no more delay. Our MPs have met with the Health Secretary and we are all fighting hard so that Sutton gets the funding to provide the hospital services that it deserves.

In 2019, the then Government said £500 million was going to be spent in Sutton as part of the New Hospital Programme. The current Government now says that money never existed.

We want our hospital services at St Helier, including A&E and maternity, to be fit for the 21st century. The new Government must urgently confirm the funding that will allow this to happen. 

Promises are no longer enough. St Helier is crumbling around us and the improvements need to start happening now.  

Cllr Barry Lewis  
Leader of Sutton Council