The chairman of Epsom and St Helier hospitals has apologised at a public meeting for a leak last month which revealed plans are being considered to shut both sites and create an 800-bed "super hospital" in Sutton.
Laurence Newman made the comments at a meeting of Epsom and St Helier trust’s board meeting which was held at Epsom Hospital on Friday.
The apology referred to leaked, secret plans for the two hospitals after 2020, which were only revealed after management consultants - who had just met with trust chief executive Daniel Elkeles - held a conference call about them on a commuter train.
Bob Mackison, who attended the meeting, said Mr Newman was sorry that a leak had occurred, but refused to reveal any more details about any plans being considered.
Health campaigner Mr Mackison said: "There was an apology from the chairman about the leak.
"He said this is a study that is ongoing and they can’t say whether what was said was right or wrong.
"They will get a report in the summer.
"He said the leak shouldn’t have happened.
"I thought it was very good that he came out and said it at the beginning of the meeting.
"They didn’t disclose who the management consultants were."
Mr Mackison said Mr Elkeles told the meeting that this would not affect the trust’s new five-year plan, under which it aims to become a foundation trust, "but they have to think about the longer term and this would be post-2020".
A document released ahead of the board meeting - minutes from a meeting of the trust executive committee which took place on March 18 and was chaired by Mr Elkeles - contained a brief section on "Epsom and St Helier long-term estates sustainability".
It said: "There followed discussion and some group work by TEC [trust executive committee] and management to understand what options there were for estates sustainability for the delivery of high-quality and sustainable services beyond 2020."
In an interview with the Epsom Guardian just days later, on March 23, Mr Elkeles assured readers that A&E, maternity and children’s services were safe at both sites for the next five years and "people don’t have to worry in the next few years about putting out the placards".
No mention was made by Mr Elkeles of plans for the hospitals in 2020 and beyond during the interview.
Campaigners protested outside Epsom Hospital last month after the leaked plans were revealed
Those attending Friday's meeting were told the trust ended the last financial year, 2014-15, with a £79,000 surplus.
This is an improvement from the £7.4m deficit at the end of 2013-14 and the £12.1m deficit at the end of 2012-13.
The Epsom Guardian will be interviewing Mr Elkeles about the plans and other issues next week.
For more on this issue go to www.epsomguardian.co.uk/epsomhospital.
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