St George’s Trust has formally admitted for the first time that it has closed four operating theatres at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton, confirming what campaigners and staff have long warned: a major downgrade of services at the historic community hospital is now fully underway.
In papers [pdf] submitted to Wandsworth Council ahead of a key Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting this Wednesday, the Trust states that the temporary surgical theatres – installed in the Queen Mary’s car park during the pandemic to help tackle the COVID elective backlog – were closed on 1 September 2025. Around 70 patients a week had been receiving procedures there, including cataracts, endoscopies, and minor operations.
Operations will now be relocated to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, with some activity shifted to other sites like the Nelson. According to the Trust, the closures will save over £3 million per year; a cost-saving decision driven by its current £14 million deficit four months into the financial year.
The decision marks a critical moment. Until now, the Trust had not publicly stated that the Queen Mary’s surgical centre was being shut down. But on page 10 of its latest report, the language is clear:
“The temporary QMH theatres closed 1 September 2025, with planned operations booked six weeks in advance at St George’s to minimise disruption for patients.”
Still no clarity on urgent care
Yet despite this new openness over the theatres, the Trust continues to hedge its position on the future of the Enhanced Primary Care Hub (EPCH) – the appointment-only urgent care service that replaced the former walk-in Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) during the pandemic.
The Trust’s report acknowledges that the function and scope of the EPCH is “under review”, and that one option being considered is to reabsorb St George’s staff into the Tooting Urgent Treatment Centre. That would effectively remove all urgent care provision from Roehampton – a heavily populated area with high levels of deprivation, poor transport links, and a large elderly population.
However, the Trust stops short of confirming any closure. It says discussions are “underway with the ICB” (the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board), and that “no final decision has been made.”
Campaigners are unlikely to be reassured. The Trust’s own wording implies that the service is at serious risk, but continues to dodge direct accountability or commit to formal consultation.
Public pressure builds – and still no impact data
The lack of transparency over the EPCH and the theatre closures comes amid a surge in local anger. A petition to protect services at Queen Mary’s has now hit 9,500 signatures, and local councillors are under growing pressure to speak up – especially those representing Roehampton and Putney, the communities most affected.
Despite this, the Trust’s 65-page report to councillors makes no reference to the petition, the campaign, or even the public mood. There is also no data presented on how the closure of services at Queen Mary’s will impact:
- Travel times for patients
- Pressure on emergency departments at St George’s
- Access for older residents or those without transport
- Staffing and morale at the affected sites
Instead, the closures are presented in operational terms, with financial savings prioritised over access, equality, or accountability.
All eyes on the committee – will councillors ask the right questions?
This Wednesday’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting (17 September, 7:30pm, Wandsworth Town Hall) is the first opportunity for councillors to question the Trust in public about the future of Queen Mary’s.
But will they take it?
Too often, scrutiny committee meetings are perfunctory affairs: long on paperwork, short on challenge. Yet in this case, the stakes are clear. Roehampton is losing services. Decisions are being made with no formal consultation. And the public is being kept in the dark.
Putney.news will be watching closely to see which councillors ask about:
- The Queen Mary’s operating theatre closures
- The ongoing EPCH review and timeline
- Legal obligations to consult
- Travel impacts for Roehampton residents
- The handling of the petition and staff concerns
This is a test of whether Wandsworth’s scrutiny system works – or whether it’s just a rubber stamp.
A second public meeting looms
Meanwhile, the Trust has announced its Annual Members Meeting, to be held on Tuesday 24 September from 6:30–7:30pm in the Hyde Park Room at St George’s Hospital. The event is billed as an “open Q&A” with the Trust’s Chair, CEO, and Board of Directors, where members of the public and staff are invited to attend and raise questions.
The event may offer residents another chance to raise the fate of Roehampton’s hospital directly with decision-makers – especially if councillors fail to press the point at committee level.
After months of dodging, St George’s has finally admitted what it is doing to Queen Mary’s Hospital. It is closing services. It is moving care away from Roehampton. And it is preparing, quietly, to do more of the same.
But it still hasn’t said how these decisions were made. It hasn’t offered data, alternatives, or timelines. And it hasn’t faced up to the public campaign now knocking at its door.
This week’s scrutiny committee meeting is the moment to demand answers.
The Surgical treatment centre in QMH doesn’t only cater to 70 patients a week. When it was on full operation of 4 thetres, we are catering to mor than 35 patients per day. I believe this calculation was producted during the time, they were trying to prove that STC is not as functional as it should be. The staff was displaced with no definite allocation provided. This caused a lot of resentment and problems for the staff that was previously working in a well runned unit.
As a resident of West Putney I believe QMH is an essential part of our local services. I am partially disabled and find it almost impossible to attend appointments at St George’s and Kingston. QMH is so easy and quick to get to and is a beautiful little hospital with great staff and great facilities, serving all of Roehampton, Barnes and most of Putney, especially West Putney. It will be a terrible blow to older and less mobile people who find it easy to get there but almost impossible to get to St George’s and Kingston. These plans MUST take patients into consideration and the accessibility of the hospitals.