An MP has spoken out over the latest consultation on services by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust at Prime Ministers Questions.

Siobhain McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, asked the Prime Minister: “Isn’t it time for the Prime Minister to step in and put a stop to it – and allow this important hospital to get on with its day job?”

It comes as the NHS Trust published an “engagement document” which “sets out the scenarios for the future of the Trust beyond 2020”.

The document asks for views on three different scenarios. The first is that both Epsom and St Helier deliver a full range of local services with a new specialist facility based at Epsom. The second is the same proposal but with a specialist acute facility at St Helier.

The third option suggests that the additional facility be located at the old site of Sutton Hospital.

This new building would require funding of around £400m, and will be funded by the taxpayer with money from the Treasury, and through private finance initiatives.

Although not classed as a formal consultation, the ‘engagement’ is the latest in five consultations that have been held over the last 18 years on the future of the Trust.

Estimates put the total cost of consultations to the taxpayer at £40m. A source said the latest consultation, from 2011 to 2014, totalled £8.2m.

In Wednesday’s PMQs Ms McDonagh said: “Epsom and St Helier Hospital are once again consulting on the closure of the hospital and the building of a new £400m hospital in Belmont.

“After five consultations over 18 years, wasting £40m of taxpayers money, isn’t it time for the Prime Minister to step in and put a stop to it and allow this important hospital to get on with its day job?”

The Prime Minister responded: “I understand Epsom and Helier Trust are indeed seeking views on the future specialist care at the Trust and how the existing building can be improved. I understand these discussions are in the early stages.

“No formal discussions have been made and any proposals for major service change will be subjected to a full public consultation.”

Dave Ash, a founding member of the Keep Our St Helier Hospital campaign said: “For some time now, the KOSHH Campaign have warned that our local acute services at both Epsom and St Helier hospitals were under threat.

“It seems that under the current plans, we are likely to lose acute services (including A&E, Maternity, Inpatient paediatrics and a whole host of other services) from one or even both of Epsom Hospital And St Helier Hospitals (incorporating Queen Mary's Hospital for children), with the promise of a new "facility" hosting a selection of acute services which will likely be located on what's left of the former Sutton Hospital site.

“For most hospitals, Acute services, especially A&E and Maternity are the "front door" for patients. Once a hospital loses its acute services, what's left on-site will quickly wither and die, and before you know it, the remains of what used to be our local acute hospitals will be described as "no longer financially sustainable.”

Chief Executive Daniel Elkeles told the Epsom Guardian last week that the Trust needed the public’s support in order to secure funding and provide the quality of care to which it aspired.

He said: “We are passionate about providing as much care as close to people’s homes as we can, and we want to meet all of the NHS’ quality standards.

“I think it’s undeniable that our buildings need a huge amount of investment to maximise care. Everyone who comes to see them agrees.

“If we do not get the investment, we can’t, in perpetuity, continue providing good care within buildings that are not fit for purpose.

Mr Elkeles added: “We genuinely want to find out what people want.”