Fewer nurses planned for Hemel Outpatients as rundown continues
- NHS bosses are planning cuts to nursing and support staff numbers at Hemel Hospital Outpatients department
- This would be the latest stage in the rundown of the Hospital by the West Herts Trust
- A Trust Board paper last week claimed that ‘service demand’ for outpatients at Hemel was well below that at other Hospitals
- The average number of appointments per day at Hemel was 125, against 224 for St Albans and 160-170 for Watford General
- The Hemel figure represents ‘a significant reduction against planned volumes’ the paper says
- Even with a 5% increase in demand, Hemel will have ‘continued surplus capacity’, it claims
- The Trust says this is ‘an opportunity for workforce realignment’ to the benefit of St Albans
- It looks likely that Hemel outpatients will be left with just 13.48 whole time equivalent (wte) nursing and clinical support staff
- There would be 24.99 wte for St Albans and 21.46 for Watford General
- The Hemel staff cuts would produce a saving of £271,000 per year