Keep NHS land for NHS use, say campaigners over St Leonard’s Hospital sell-off fears

Hackney Keep Our NHS Public campaigning over the St Leonard’s hospital site, outside the town hall. Photograph: Julia Gregory. Free for use by partners of BBC LDRS news wire service

Campaigners took their concerns over the future of hospital buildings in Hackney to the town hall – 40 years after a previous battle over the site.

This time, Hackney Keep Our NHS Public campaigners are worried that part of the St Leonard’s Hospital site in Hoxton could be sold off – for housing or retail.

They want Hackney Council to call on the government for more funding for the buildings.

Several of these buildings have fallen into despair and some dilapidated areas of the site are locked up.

Campaigners braved heavy rain and lobbied councillors before a Hackney full council meeting. Dr Nick Mann said: “It’s really important that we preserve  and maintain every piece of NHS land for the NHS.”

The GP said it was crucial to keep services local, so patients do not face long or difficult journeys.

St Leonard’s offers rehabilitation, psychological services, physiotherapy, dietary advice, sexual health services and the wheelchair service. The Lawson GP practice is also operating on the site.

St Leonard’s ceased to be a general hospital in 1984.

Campaigner Peter Smorthit, who got help to recover from a stroke there and also used the wheelchair unit, said: “Where would I go?”

Hackney’s cabinet member for health Cllr Chris Kennedy said the council has been talking to Homerton Healthcare about partnership options: “Our intention in that work is to be sure that we do not inadvertently miss an opportunity, that might work with the input of both parties to make more of the site, should it arise.”

There are no plans for the use of the site.

Cllr Kennedy told campaigners he agreed with them, but said he thought it would have to do “a bit of its own funding.”

Forty years ago, protestors gathered outside Hackney Town Hall where the health authority was discussing plans to close the hospital and transfer A&E to the new £20m Homerton Hospital site. NUPE general secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe and MP Tony Benn addressed thousands of protestors. The following year, campaigners occupied St Leonard’s Hospital.

Homerton Healthcare is considering asking for the transfer of the complex from NHS Property, but is looking to see if the numbers add up. The hospital trust fears that “the costs of running the site will outstrip any income received from us running our services, or rent from other tenants, and make it unaffordable for us as a single owner operating the premises.”

An NHS Property spokesman said: “NHS Property Services is committed to working with the North East London Integrated Care Board (which plans how services are delivered), Homerton NHS Trust and Hackney Council, to ensure that St Leonard’s Hospital continues to provide vital healthcare services in the local area.

“We have been working closely with our NHS partners in North East London over the last two to three years and have jointly undertaken an in-depth service review to help inform the healthcare requirements for the local community.

“Based on this, we are planning and have committed a significant amount of capital into the ongoing maintenance of St Leonard’s to help improve the environment for staff and patients.”