St Helier Hospital faced another blow this week when a financial appraisal put it head-to-head with Croydon University Hospital to lose its A&E and maternity services.

On Monday the programme board of the Better Services Better Value review concluded that Kingston Hospital is not an option to lose its Accident and Emergency and maternity departments.

St Helier Hospital was recommended by a non-financial scoring panel early in May as the hospital in SW London which should lose the vital services.

The material will be presented in a business case to be considered by the joint boards of SW London Primary Care Trusts in July - a delay on previous indications which stated it would be made on June 7.

The reasons given for the delay are that further work needs to be done on the two options - St Helier or Croydon University Hospital which passed the financial appraisal.

Work on an impact assessment is underway and it is expected that by the end of July, they should be clear on what they are going to consult the public on.

The programme Board also accepted the recommendation that children's wards at three SW London hospitals close and a specialist inpatient childrens’ ward should be at St George’s Hospital in Tooting.

When asked for reassurances about the £219m promised to St Helier Hospital’s redevelopment a spokesperson for NHS London said: "There is a firm commitment to redevelop the St Helier site.

"We need further clarity on the outcome of the Better Services Better Value review before a decision can be made on the next steps.

"We are working with the trust and with commissioners in South West London to ensure this happens as soon as possible, but this will not be before the end of May."

The hospital which loses its A&E and maternity will hold a new planned surgery centre and a "range of other services".

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