A meeting between councillors from Epsom and Ewell Borough council and the NHS team behind the Better Services Better Value review has taken place.
Members of Epsom and Ewell Borough council were concerned by some of the reported recommendations in the review, namely to possibly close the Accident and Emergency Unit and Maternity facilities in Epsom.
When asked directly whether there was a possibility that Epsom hospital could close, the team from Better Services Better Value stated that in the review there was a role for Epsom Hospital and that around 80% of services that are undertaken now will continue at the 5 sites covered in the review.
Dr Mike Bailey, Joint Medical Director from Better Services Better Value, explained that the review was driven principally to improve patient treatment, taking fuller advantage of the advances in clinical care in technology, medical practices and health staff knowledge.
Dr Bailey told the meeting that all 5 hospitals covered in the review would continue to have some form of emergency care.
Councillor George Crawford, Chairman of the Epsom & Ewell Health Liaison Committee, said "There were some very positive messages for the residents of the Borough from the team at Better Services Better Value; however there are still significant areas of uncertainty".
"We know times have changed and the Epsom Hospital of 20 years' time will be different from today, just as today it is different from 20 years ago. We wait to see the full recommendations from the review and will continue to lobby for what is best for the residents of Epsom & Ewell".
"To this end we will continue to seek the views of residents on this very important issue as this input will determine how the Council formally responds to the consultation".
Better Services Better Value is a review of health services in South West London. Epsom Hospital falls into the review because a merger with Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust fell through last October.
The review team is set to reach a decision on local hospital provision in March and it will then go out to public consultation on April.
