Too small to cope? Doubts over plans for urgent treatment in Hub

The Market Square hub could see a big cut in local urgent treatment services 
The Hub would be a neighbourhood health centre (NHC)
NHCs are intended to deal with just 18,000 ‘minor injuries/walk-in’ cases a year, according to a national policy document
Hemel Hospital’s equivalent urgent treatment centre sees 45,000 cases each year
That could mean a gap of 27,000 cases a year if the health centre Hub goes ahead
And that is without the impact of future population growth
Cue more queuing for Hemel patients at Watford General A&E?

The Market Square Hub would be a downgrade
Meanwhile the price tag for the Watford General rebuild rises to £2bn as cost control there goes out the window
Hemel deserves something much better, and those we elect should be demanding a fairer financial settlement

The document is the Activity Calculator in the Neighbourhood Health Centre guidance published by NHS England