An community hospital ward is to be temporarily closed to repair damage worsened during the recent bad weather.

The inpatient ward with 15 beds at New Epsom and Ewell Community Hospital (NEECH) in Horton Lane, Epsom, is set to close for five weeks this summer.

CSH Surrey, which runs the hospital, said patients will be temporarily accommodated at community hospitals in Leatherhead, Dorking and Molesey.

A spokeswoman said: "The flooring has come up slightly and the paint is peeling on the walls. It was brought about by the bad weather.

"If we do not do the work it would present an infection control risk, but there is not a risk at the moment."

Sally Bonynge, director of adults services at CSH Surrey, said: "The inpatient ward at NEECH will be temporarily closed for a period of five weeks during June/July (exact dates still to be confirmed).

"No other services at NEECH and Poplars are affected by the refurbishment, which is being managed by NHS Property Services, who own the building."

The closure is not linked to a long standing proposal to move the hospital onto the Epsom Hospital site because its buildings have been deemed not fit for purpose.

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Dr Claire Fuller

Dr Claire Fuller, clinical chair at Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group, said they are looking at services at community hospitals as part of their plan for the future.

Dr Fuller said: "For some years, and well before our existence, there have been discussions about the NEECH and the possibility of re-locating some services onto the Epsom site so this is not a new idea.

"Whilst we are starting to look at our community hospitals, and how to provide the best care in future, we certainly haven’t made any decisions."

In February Epsom Council’s Health Liaison Panel received an update on a planned relocation of NEECH and the Poplars to the Epsom Hospital site.

The council paper said the current buildings at West Park are "not fit for purpose" and the move would ensure a "comprehensive" service in one place.

It said: "Concerns raised by NEECH Guild of Friends over the move. However, the capital investment needed to remain on site would not evidently be forthcoming.

"Discussions on-going at Transformation Board concerning services on the EGH site."

A council spokesman said the community hospital was identified as a possible site for housing during a consultation about three years ago.