Lib Dem MPs call on Government for clarity over relocation of women’s health services at St Helier.

Responding to the news that Women’s Health Services at St Helier may be relocated due to safety concerns - several Liberal Democrat MPs have demanded answers from Karin Smyth MP - Minister of State for Health (Secondary Care).

In an open letter sent today, MPs Bobby Dean, Luke Taylor, Helen Maguire and Paul Kohler have demanded answers to several key questions surrounding the future of the service.

It comes just a few weeks after the welcome news that St Helier is to receive £57,000,000 to rescue, upgrade and expand the Emergency Department at the site - timing which the MPs have described as “doubly worrying”.

It is unclear how the proposed relocation would take place, with concerns about capacity at nearby Kingston Hospital and the potential duration of such a relocation being as yet unaddressed.

The letter, which was also co-signed by Cllr Barry Lewis, Leader of Sutton Council, and Cllr Anthony Fairclough, Leader of the Opposition on Merton Council, sets out a series of questions, including:

“Have all avenues been exhausted in exploring ways for the service to continue operating with mitigations in place to address these safety concerns?

“How have the staff responsible for delivering the services been consulted with regarding these concerns, and to what extent have they been able to inform the decision with reference to their own expertise?

“Do all aspects of the service need to be relocated from the site, and if so, what is the forecast duration of the disruption and dislocation of the service?

“How will these services physically be relocated given concerns that Kingston maternity services are already at capacity?

There are concerns too about the prospect of a relocation of services whilst the proposed new Sutton Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (SECH) remains on a long waiting-list, with work not scheduled to start until the 2030s. The MPs have then drawn a parallel between the prioritisation of hospitals with similar safety concerns and St Helier:

“Hospitals with RAAC have been prioritised within the new hospitals program due to building safety - however, in light of these safety concerns, we firmly believe St Helier Hospital, and the proposed new Sutton SECH must be prioritised in the same manner before more essential services are forced to relocate.”