Hemel’s incredible shrinking Hospital
- Hemel stands to lose a big public asset if our seven-hectare Hospital is demolished
- The substitute would be a Market Square ‘neighbourhood health centre’ Hub on just half a hectare
- The buildings currently in use at our Hospital have nearly 20,000 square metres of floor space
- The ‘health centre’ Hub downgrade will have just 8000 square metres
- And where would patients park, especially those who find it hard to walk?
- Some Hemel Hospital buildings are newish and in better condition than many at Watford General
- Yet the Council and West Herts Trust bosses claim the ‘health centre’ will be better able to meet the hospital needs of a town with thousands of new homes and an ageing population
- There are various plans to provide a convenient new or refurbished Hospital building on the present site – up to 12,000 square metres.
- These plans would also allow for housing on part of the site – Government targets have to be met
- Surely developing the current Hospital site would be a much better choice for the future ?