The St Peter's Hospital saga remained a key issue at last night's (June 24) election hustings event, as all five candidates outlined how maintaining a hospital in Maldon is a top priority.

Following a question by a member of the public regarding each candidate's number one priority in Maldon, many of the candidate's answers can be summed up in just a few words: "Saving St Peters."

Onike Gollo, the candidate for the Labour Party, offered a slightly alternative view, suggesting instead that infrastructure must be improved to support "the increase in pressure" upon the healthcare service in Maldon, describing St Peter's as a "beacon" for growing frustrations.

"For Labour what is important is a healthcare service close to home and local services that people can access.

"However, we have had 14 years of this, so it's hard to know really if the hospital can be saved despite the valiant efforts people have been making into it." She said.

Incumbment MP, Conservative John Whittingdale also stressed the importance of community healthcare, saying: "St Peter's is a good hospital. The dedication of the staff at St Peter's is absolutely second to none.

St Peter's was described as 'ageing' 22-years ago. (Photo: Christopher Cook)

"We have been talking about having a new community hospital in Maldon for almost as long as I have been here and we've come very close a couple of times with sites being identified.

"I am very active on this topic, I have had a debate in parliament, I have raised it with the Prime Minister, and I am determined that Maldon will continue to have a community hospital, and if possible, on the St Peter's site."

The other candidates, Simon Burwood, Isobel Doubleday, and Pamela Walford, also had similar points: "I have had conversations down in Heybridge, where I work as a councillor, and [the subject of St Peter's] is really starting to affect people." said Liberal Democrat Candidate, Simon Burwood.

"It is my fear for Maldon that we are going to be spread out across Essex, and that's where families are going to miss out on giving that care to loved ones."

"I desperately want to see St Peters continue, with all the services still there to support our local community." - Simon Burwood, Liberal Democrats.

Green Party candidate Isobel Doubleday repeated this idea, saying: "St Peter's is very important for Maldon, it's an iconic building and while yes, it's falling to pieces in places because it hasn't been maintained, there is plenty of it that is still standing.

"Whatever happens, it is going to be very expensive, whether it's a new building somewhere, or where it is now being improved and upgraded." 

Reform UK candidate, Pamela Walford, criticised the time taken to secure funding for an updated hospital, saying: "This hospital needs to stay in Maldon. We don't want a replacement, we want this hospital.

Maldon's candidates for the General Election. From the left: Simon Burwood for the Lib Dems, Onike Gollo for Labour, John Whittingdale for the Tory's, Pamela Walford for Reform, and Isobel Doubleday for the Greens. (Photo: Chloe Brewster)

"It is the beating heart of the community, it needs to stay and have funding so that people don't have to travel.

"I am amazed this is still going on and hadn't been sorted out years ago."

St Peter's Hospital is a historic community hospital in Maldon which offers outpatient care to Maldon residents and those across Essex.

However, a proposal by the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board released earlier this year outlined plans to close the hospital down, relocating the stroke rehabilitation and the midwife-led birthing unit to alternative sites across Essex.

The plans also meant that outpatient services, including blood tests, would be relocated to an unidentified location in the Maldon area. 

Over 5000 people responded to the consultation on the plans, and the Integrated Care Board are now deliberating and building a 'Decision-making case' on the hospital's future.

750 attended a demonstration in March this year to protest the plans to close St Peter's. (Photo: Christopher Cook)

This all follows a string of broken promises for a new community hospital, with plans dating back to 2002 for a new Spital Road community hospital to replace an "ageing" St Peter's. 

It is unclear exactly why these plans fell through, with incumbent MP John Whittingdale citing "disagreements on funding" as the key issue yesterday (June 24).

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