The future of Molesey Community Hospital is still uncertain, as councillors slam the length of time it has taken for a decision on a refurbishment as “appalling”.

Residents were consulted on the future of the clinic and health care facilities at the site in 2016 with a decision made a year later to keep hospital beds at the location.

But councillors said they were “still waiting” to hear what will happen with the site.

Speaking at an Elmbridge Borough Council overview and scrutiny meeting on Thursday (January 17), Cllr Steve Bax said: “We are three years down the track and two a half years after the decision was made to retain the hospital. It feels like the wheels are turning rather slowly.”

Julian Wilmshurst-Smith, head of contracting for Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said funding for a business case has been secured and it could take up to eight months to finalise details of whether it will be a rebuild or a refurbishment.

Plans on the table include bringing two GP practices on site as well as speaking to Surrey County Council about providing more adult social care services and talking to Kingston Hospital about out-patient facilities.

He told councillors: “We applied for funding and we now have that funding so we have engaged with external technical support to take us forward to the next stage.”

Mr Wilmshurst-Smith said once the business case had been drawn up they then needed to apply for more capital funding to carry out the work which could be in spring 2020.

He said it was an “old and tired” building, adding: “The problem we are trying to solve is a facility which is near the end of its life and we need to consider what to do with it. We are considering the details.”

Cllr Janet R. Turner said she had “given up hope” of there being a new hospital.

She said: “This is the sixth time I’ve sat through a presentation in 20 years. We were promised then we would have a new hospital. We are still waiting.  For the amount of money that has been spent we could have built a new hospital.

“This is so important to people who live in the Molesey area. For people to have a local hospital to go to for clinics and out patients and for small commitments rather than going to Kingston Hospital where you can wait for hours.

“It’s appalling. I’ve given up hope this will ever happen.

“I don’t think Molesey can wait much longer.”