Hospital's future to be unveiled

The hospital trust said the meeting was the first step towards major investment

Services at a Surrey hospital are safe, despite concerns about the future of the site a health trust has said.

Options for the redevelopment of Epsom Hospital will be unveiled at a public meeting next week.

Epsom and St Helier NHS chief executive Samantha Jones said there had been uncertainty, but this was a step towards major investment in the site.

She said the site was getting old and needed the additional investment on top of its routine yearly maintenance.

'Understandable concern'

"We know that local people care deeply about the future of Epsom Hospital and acknowledge the uncertainty there has been about it in the past," Ms Jones said.

"However, based on the commissioning intentions of our local NHS partners, we know that the future of the hospital, and its services, are safe, including the A&E and maternity unit."

Epsom councillor Chris Long said: "Residents are understandably concerned about the future of their local hospital.

"The trust is putting together some clear proposals for the improvements it hopes to make."

Paul Bennett, deputy chief executive of NHS Surrey, which commissions services at the site, said he wanted to see a "vibrant and healthy" hospital there.

A short-list of six options will be revealed at the public meeting next Wednesday evening at Epsom Town Hall.