The South London trust has spent spent £60million in the past five years improving facilities across its estate
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has been ranked among the very best in the country for cancer care, despite ongoing infrastructure issues. New figures released yesterday Tuesday (September 9) as part of the government’s new NHS league tables place the Trust seventh nationally for ensuring patients begin treatment within two months of an urgent referral, with similarly strong results for the percentage of urgent referrals receiving a diagnosis within a month.
MP Bobby Dean, Liberal Democrat member for Carshalton and Wallington, said: “This is an outstanding achievement by Epsom and St Helier’s cancer teams, made possible only by the commitment of doctors, nurses and support staff who continue to give their all for local people.”
Despite this, Mr Dean also acknowledged the ongoing challenges facing the Trust. He said: “While this data makes clear that we still urgently need real investment in our NHS to fix the crumbling buildings and recruit and retain more staff, these excellent cancer outcomes have to be recognised.”
The Trust has spent £60 million over the past five years upgrading parts of its estate, but senior staff admit the buildings are deteriorating faster than repairs can keep up. In May this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that St Helier’s former estates manager admitted the hospital’s crumbling infrastructure was jeopardising patient safety.
Concerns have intensified since the government delayed vital redevelopment until the 2030s as part of its review of the New Hospitals Programme. St Helier, which is older than the NHS itself, has suffered years of underinvestment, leaving patients and staff to contend with leaking ceilings, broken lifts, sinking floors, and treatment in corridors.
The Trust has since expanded same-day emergency care to manage high demand at A&E and reduce overnight stays. It is also treating more people in the community and introducing specialist frailty care to prevent hospital admissions.
In May, a new electronic patient record system was rolled out to improve security and reduce delays for patients. Leaders say these measures, combined with a focus on efficiency, will help reduce costs by 10 per cent without compromising patient safety.
A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We’re pleased that our cancer care performance has been recognised – but we know there is more to do and are working hard to ensure all our patients receive good, safe, and timely care, while also taking steps to improve our financial situation and invest in our ageing estate.”
The Department of Health & Social Care’s full league table of NHS trust rankings is available on its website.
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