Hospitals consider de-merger plan

The hospitals could de-merge under the NHS trust review

Two hospitals could de-merge under a review into the future of an NHS trust spanning Surrey and south London.

The review will look at "all possible options" for the future of Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, with timescales for the study being published next month.

The trust runs Epsom Hospital, Epsom and St Helier Hospital, in Carshalton, and serves more than 420,000 people.

Reigate MP Crispin Blunt welcomed the move saying de-merging the hospitals would end an "unhappy marriage".

He said the two hospitals were currently "two different hospitals serving two very different communities".

'End uncertainty'

The trust said options included retaining the status quo, doing more in partnership with other trusts, or de-merging the two hospitals.

Samantha Jones, chief executive, said: "We recognise that there has been, for many years, a level of uncertainty for staff, patients and local people surrounding the future of our hospitals.

"We are confident that Local Needs, Local Health will allow us to end this speculation once and for all."

Campaign group Health Emergency have called for an inquiry into how much money has been spent over the past decade on restructuring plans at the trust. The trust has not responded.