BED CUTS ON WAY IN WATFORD REBUILD?

Recent changes to the plans for Watford General’s new facility will likely mean a slightly lower set of tower blocks.

Instead of the threatened 16 storey, 260 foot monster, a video shows one that features three towers of 12 or maybe 13 storeys each – the hospital equivalent of 18 or 19 residential floors.

That’s good news – the New Hospital Campaign has been attacking the plans for the tallest NHS building outside central London, so we won’t complain if it’s scaled down a bit.

BUT THERE IS A BIG CATCH

Reducing the scale of the buildings may mean lopping several wards off each tower – with the loss of a fair number of beds.

That could well mean that the new Watford Hospital facility will have too few beds for our future needs.

The original plans for the new Watford building would have seen enough room for the 960-plus beds needed for the next few decades in West Hertfordshire.

But a lower building at Watford would not be able to accommodate the beds we should have. It would probably have fewer beds than we have now.

The problem, of course, is the tiny site left for redevelopment at Watford  – it’s just not big enough.

New thinking is needed about a new site – but don’t expect it from our local NHS bosses