GPs have handed Epsom and St Helier hospitals the largest winter funding cash boost ever to help stave off financial meltdown over Christmas.

Children’s services, weekend support and A&E will benefit from £1.8m in winter funding at Epsom and St Helier hospitals.

The funding, paid for by the hospital’s commissioners Surrey Downs and Sutton Clinical Commissioning Groups, is the largest sum ever received by the NHS trust.

It comes as key health bodies warn of a winter crisis, possibly the worst the NHS has ever faced.

Chief operating officer Jackie Sullivan said: “Even though we’re in the early stages of winter and the weather is still quite mild, we are already seeing increases in the number of patients that need our services.

“We have to prepare for that demand to grow even further over the coming months, as people are more likely to pick up respiratory conditions that need hospital treatment or are at increased risk of injury due to icy and slippery conditions.

“Every year we tailor plans so that we can anticipate and deal with any surge in demand during winter, and that is the approach we are taking again this year.”

The funding will provide additional nursing and medical staff in the A&E, additional nursing, medical, therapy, phlebotomy and radiology staff over the weekend and additional medical and nursing staff in children’s services..

As well as bolstering existing services the trust is implementing additional programmes, including a new project dedicating to helping those with asthma and other lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis.

The trust is also supporting community-based schemes led by partner organisations, such as the new Community Assessment and Diagnostic Unit (CADU) based at Epsom Hospital.