Saturday 5 May 2007

Carshalton: Bed push protest over NHS budget

The BBC reports today that a bed push between two hospitals in London and Surrey has been staged by campaigners in protest at "rising debts" at Epsom and St Helier NHS.

Two MPs joined the protest between St Helier hospital in Carshalton and Epsom Hospital in Surrey.

Sutton MP Paul Burstow said the trust was now being "forced to save almost twice the £24m asked of it last year".

The NHS trust said it saved £20m last year and had a £21m target next year which was about savings not overspends.

A spokeswoman said the trust's predicted £7.3m overspend this year had actually been £5.4m which was "better than predicted".

But campaign group Health Emergency has warned of both job and service cuts under the savings plans.

And Epsom and Ewell MP Chris Grayling said there was now "a very real possibility that St Helier, Epsom and Guildford Hospitals will all be downgraded".

He added: "We want the NHS to realise that the strength of feeling about our local hospital services and about the future of Epsom Hospital is as strong as ever."

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