Hold-up for Hemel Health Hub as NHS delays decision
- Setback for plan to close Hemel Hospital and replace it with a Market Square Hub
- The bid for £135m public money for the closure/Hub has been held up as regional NHS bosses say more time is needed for consideration
- Dacorum Council and the West Herts Trust had hoped to get the bid rubber-stamped in a crucial 28 November regional meeting
- But it was not on the agenda
- A merger and shake-up of regional NHS jobs is being officially blamed for the slowdown
- Regional bosses are said to be ‘supportive of the overall approach taken’ by Dacorum and the Trust’
- But regional ‘leadership changes’ mean that they need to ‘explore funding opportunities in the new year, and to determine how the SOC will be considered within the interim arrangements for ICB governance that are expected to be in place until April 2026.’
- There is no new date for the decision as the arguments for and against the closure appear to be opening up again
- The secretive process of closing the Hospital and building the WORST OPTION Hub is stuttering
- Now is the time for councillors to push for proper open public consultation on the future of our hospital services.