Market Square Hub may not improve access for patients
3 April 2026
- Claims that the Market Square ‘health centre’ Hub will improve access for patients may not stand up
- In 2021 an NHS survey found 68.5% of patients drove to Hemel Hospital – see below
- Only 8.9% travelled by bus, train and other public transport. It needs to grow, but that will take time
- The impression given by those pressing for closure of Hemel Hospital is that departments are distant from car parking, up steep slopes
- But for many patients that isn’t true
- Some of the busiest parts of the Hospital are on the same level as the free car parks for Asda and Iceland just across Hillfield Road
- It is a couple of hundred metres from the surface Asda car park to the blood clinic (which deals with over 300 patients a day)
- The X-ray/MRI department is 100 metres or so further – again a pretty flat walk
- The urgent treatment centre has its own (paid) car park near the entrance
- The (paid) top car park serves the Verulam Building which houses many other services
- It is only a minute or two from the Verulam entrance – though there are steps to negotiate for most users
- What are the promoters of the Market Square health centre offering?
- The Water Gardens car parks. These are spread out, so many spaces will be two hundred metres or much more from the Market Square
- If the Hospital is closed as some politicians want, about 400 extra cars will have to find spaces on the Water Gardens car parks
- Those car parks are already well used. There is no way they can accommodate the extra 400 vehicles.
- SO CLAIMS THAT THE HUB WILL MAKE ACCESS EASIER LOOK VERY DUBIOUS.
- Below is from a survey commissioned by the West Herts NHS Trust in 2021:
