Agenda item

Daniel Elkeles, Trust Chief Executive will provide an update on the latest developments within the Epsom & St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and answer member questions.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive, Epsom & St Helier University Hospital Trust

Petitions, Public Questions/Statements: Not permitted as not an SCC service

The Trust Chief Executive provided an update on the latest news from the Trust.  The presentation is attached at Annexe A to these minutes.

The new Surrey Downs Health & Care Service would launch on 1 April and it was hoped that this would provide an improved service for residents.

The Trust has the best performing stroke service in Surrey after Frimley park hospital.

The programme to look at the long term future of the hospitals is being run by the CCGs who will carry out a public consultation on which site is preferred.  Government will need to commit to funding of £100m to build the facility.  It is clear that it will not be possible or sustainable to continue to run all services from both hospital sites.  Both hospitals will continue to provide 85% of the current services and a new acute facility will be built on one of three sites.

By 2025 it is anticipated that there will be 2,500 patients a day seen at each hospital, with about 150 patients going to the acute facility.  There is predicted to be around a 7% increase in the population of the Borough by 2025.

Member discussion –key points

Members queried whether there is any binding commitment from Legal & General (L&G) to provide accommodation for over 65’s on the hospital land sold to them and if there is no requirement why the offer of a sale at a higher price was not accepted.  Who agreed not to put caveats on the sale or not to accept a better offer?  The Trust Chief Executive responded that the land had been offered to other public authorities including the County Council and there had been no interest.  Social care in Surrey is either funded privately or by the County Council in private accommodation.  The land was sold to the company who seemed to best meet the brief to provide facilities for social care or affordable housing as requested by residents at the hospital board meeting, but there is no binding requirement for them to provide this.  The best bids came with lots of caveats and were felt to be unlikely to get planning permission or realise the offer being made.  The offer from L&G also includes a subsidised nursery and gym which can be used by hospital staff.  Should L&G decide to sell on the land for a higher price overage clauses will come into effect which will require them to pay additional sums to the hospital.  Once a planning application is submitted the Borough Council will be able to consider additional conditions on any permission granted.  The current proposal is for 150-200 units of accommodation from single rooms to two to three bed flats.  The single rooms will be available for step up and down nursing care and the NHS will be able to buy the service as required whilst some will be privately funded.

A members queried the timescales for the provision of additional car parking on site.  The Trust Chief Executive responded that it has been agreed that staff parking can remain on the sold land until at least 2020 to give time for the consideration of a planning application for a decked car park.

The Trust Chief Executive was unable to provide and assurance that no more land on the Epsom hospital site will be sold.  However, he did confirm that no more land would be sold before a decision has been made on the location for the new acute facility.

A member queried whether the hospital was accepting equipment from the Epsom Medical Equipment Fund.  The Trust Chief Executive responded that they are not accepting equipment currently as the terms of the Fund mean that it is only able to loan the equipment and the Trust feel that people donating funding would expect the equipment to be donated to Epsom Hospital.  The Trust are quite happy to provide assurances that any equipment donated will remain at Epsom Hospital.  Although the Fund has been asked to move their shop from the hospital, they are still able to use the car park for boot sales to raise money.

A member asked whether the Trust was confident that it had sufficient levels of staff particularly in the light of Brexit.  The Chief Executive responded that there are a lot of vacancies in the Trust.  15% of staff currently come from the EU and it has become harder to recruit from there.  However, the Trust does have ambitious plans for recruitment and has had some success.  A&E is a particular challenge, to fully staff both sites 30 staff would be required and there are currently 11 permanent staff with some vacancies filled by temporary staff, but this does affect waiting times.

It was reported that between £7.5-£8m had been secured to move the Cottage Hospital from the Horton site to the Langley Wing at the hospital.  It will be a centre of excellence for rehabilitation.  The Horton site will be sold by NHS property services but the Trust would like to see a new GP surgery in this area.