BOTCHED WATFORD GENERAL PLANS MUST BE REVIEWED
A letter demanding an independent review of the West Herts Trust’s botched plans for redeveloping Watford General Hospital has been sent to key health decision-makers.
The letter is jointly signed by Sir Mike Penning, the MP for Hemel Hempstead, and Philip Aylett, the Co-ordinator of the New Hospital Campaign. It has gone to Health Secretary Steve Barclay and the Integrated Care Board for Herts and West Essex.
The letter shows that Watford General is not a suitable site for redevelopment. It is extremely congested, inaccessible – and unpopular.
All options for the Vicarage Road site are unaffordable or offer very poor value for money – or both. Taxpayers will lose out if the Trust persist with their plans.
The Campaign believes a completely new emergency care and specialist hospital on a clear and accessible new central site would be the better way forward.
Public confidence in the Trust’s plans for redevelopment at Watford General is in doubt and political support is weak.
The letter calls for a fully independent review. This must allow for a genuine assessment of all options. The Trust should not conduct or even supervise the review, given its history of error and confusion over the project.
The full letter is below: