MALDON'S MP says he is "extremely disappointed" after it was revealed the town's hospital could close permanently.
St Peter’s Hospital, which is located in Spital Road and is about 150 years old, previously had changes mooted in August 2023.
At the time, the NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board announced the proposed relocation of inpatient community services for stroke rehabilitation, intermediate care, and midwifery-led births.
Temporary service changes have included transferring the 16 stroke rehabilitation beds at St Peter’s Hospital to the Bayman Ward at Brentwood Community Hospital, increasing capacity there to 25 stroke rehabilitation beds.
The hospital could potentially be put up for sale for £6.2million.
Sir John Whittingdale said he had been assured the existing changes to the hospital "were temporary in nature".
He said: “When, last year, the local NHS announced that they were moving some services from St Peter’s, I was assured that these changes reflected the immediate needs of the service for the winter period, were temporary in nature and would only affect inpatient provision.
“I therefore accepted that, in the interests of staff and quality of patient care, the temporary changes were necessary.
“I am extremely disappointed to learn that it is now proposed to make these changes permanent and possibly to close the hospital to outpatients.
"I recognise that the existing stroke rehabilitation beds at St Peter’s are intended to serve the whole of Mid Essex and are arguably better provided in a more modern community hospital.
“However, while the use of the maternity unit has dropped dramatically in recent years, I can appreciate that expectant mothers in the district still want the choice of a local midwife-led maternity unit which will be denied if it is moved to Braintree.
“In addition, the loss of local provision of essential outpatient services such as X-ray, blood tests, diagnostics and physiotherapy is unacceptable unless and until an alternative local site can be found.”
Sir John said he helped campaign against the closure of St Peter’s maternity unit in the past and has been "pressing for a new community hospital in Maldon" for more than 20 years.
He added: “Despite public meetings, debates and assurances being given, progress in finding a replacement has been consistently thwarted by pressure on funding, the difficulty in finding a suitable site, or gaining the necessary permissions.
“St Peter’s was built as a workhouse in 1872 and the building has deteriorated badly in recent years. The need for a replacement has become steadily more urgent and I am incredibly frustrated that repeated promises have so far come to nothing.
“If it is decided to proceed with closure plans, there will have to be a consultation period of at least eight weeks and I urge people to respond.
“I will also be having urgent meetings with local NHS chiefs in the next few days and intend to arrange a public meeting and to raise the matter in Parliament.
“I am not prepared to stand by and allow essential local health services for my constituents just disappear.
"I will have more to say once I have had further discussions with the NHS and others.”
The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust has been approached for comment.
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