The future of St Peter's Hospital: 'We have to go with what is best for the majority of people'

Save Maldon's Medical Services Campaign Manager, Jo Phillips, discusses the new working group recommendations into the future of hospital services in Maldon.

Yesterday, we saw the report from the working group commissioned to look again at options for St Peter's Hospital and the associated options for care and maternity beds across mid and south Essex.

Independently led by James Halden, the group was made up of representatives from Maldon District Council, Healthwatch, members of the Save Maldon's Medical Services campaign group and NHS staff members.

You can read a summary of the report here. Recommendations were made to maintain the Spital Road Hospital site for five years, while funding and proper planning permissions are secured for a replacement medical hub to host the outpatient care currently offered at the hospital.

Jo Phillips, Campaign Manager of Save Maldon's Medical Services told Nub News she was "pleased" with the report:

"The campaign was always to save the medical services," she said.

"I look forward to working on a new project to make sure residents are included at the core of whatever future plans are.

"The recommendations are based on factual evidence that's been thoroughly investigated. I think there's been due diligence and research, and a really good professional team working on them, which is what we always asked for."

The report notes that the original consultation, which spanned from January until April 2024, was "far too hasty" in suggesting that Maldon's Community Hospital should close. It also described the original plan as to where outpatient care services should move to in the town, as "utterly inadequate."

"We just wanted that moment to pause and reflect on what was actually needed," Jo added.

"As it highlights in the report, things in the original consultation could have and should have been done differently.

"I think that highlighted the reason this campaign needed to be formed and why we had such overwhelming support for it as well."

In spite of the original community push-back, the recommendations accept that the birthing unit and stroke rehabilitation beds can no longer stay in Maldon. This is put down to several reasons, including low birth rate, inability to provide acute care, and unjustifiable capital costs.

"What we have to do is balance out the majority for the benefit of our community." Jo said.

"After looking through all of the figures over and over again, you have to make decisions. We know some people won't be pleased with losing the beds, but the reality is we have to go with what is best for the majority of people.

"Blood tests, x-rays, audiology… those day-to-day routine appointments are what we can't afford to lose. There are 14,000 maternity outpatient appointments a year, to have lost that, that would have been horrific."

Jo, alongside campaign co-organisers Kerry and Steve, are set to sit on an independent commissioning group which will oversee the recommendations set out in the report.

Maldon District Council has backed the proposals laid out by the Community Consultation group.

Leader of Maldon District Council, Cllr Richard Siddall, said: "After what was an unsatisfactory NHS public consultation on the future of community hospital and outpatient services in Mid and South Essex, the group have worked together since last October, to bring the focus back to what is important locally and to prioritise the needs of residents and the community.

"It is vital healthcare services remain in the district and for St Peter's hospital to continue to serve the community.

"As a member of the consultation group, the Council agrees that investment is needed for St Peter's hospital, appreciating that there are costly issues that need addressing and parts of the existing estate cannot be maintained long term. Therefore, we support the request to turn part of the estate into a modern health hub.

"Maldon District Council wants to see the Integrated Care Board make decisions quickly and to move on to a plan of action. However, there is some trepidation, due to the recent NHS announcement to cut the Integrated Care Board's staffing by 50%. There are concerns that this could potentially impact the pace of any decisions made.

"Whatever the challenge ahead, the Council will continue to lobby for health services to remain in the district."