The MP for Mitcham and Morden has issued an urgent appeal for residents to take part in the consultation on the future of St Helier Hospital, with less than 48 hours to spare.

The consultation is proposing that services, including A&E, at St Helier and Epsom hospitals be combined and moved to a new site in Belmont, in Sutton.

The other two options are to have an emergency unit at Epsom or St Helier hospitals.

All three options involve moving acute services from two sites to one, but NHS South West London CCG stated that in all three options, the majority of services (85%) would stay at Epsom Hospital and at St Helier Hospital, with an investment of at least £80 million in the current buildings.

Merton MP, Siobhain McDonagh, says proposals would leave nearby hospitals unable to cope with the strain.

In an email sent out yesterday, Siobhain McDonagh alerted residents and said: "The only way we can defeat these proposals, and save our hospital, is by proving the strength of public opinion against them.

"These proposals would mean that the poorest people, in the worst health, would be forced to travel the furthest.

"As well as this, unbearable pressure would be placed on the nearby hospitals of St George's and Croydon University.

"Countless residents who currently use St Helier have made it clear to me that they would attend St George's or Croydon, rather than travelling down to Belmont.

"But these hospitals are already under huge strain.

"St George's A&E is in the bottom quartile for space standards, and the Care Quality Commission has demanded that fewer patients attend the hospital.

"Croydon University already has a bed occupancy of 99%, which is far above accepted safety levels.

"The pressure that these hospitals would be under with even more patients is unimaginable."

Merton GP and Clinical Chair of NHS Merton CCG Dr Andrew Murray said: “This £500m investment gives us the chance to develop a brand new 21st century hospital facility for local people for generations to come.

"We have a once in a lifetime opportunity and we need to make this happen.”

To sign visit at https://improvinghealthcaretogether.org.uk/consultation/questionnaire/