Watford MP Dean Russell joined West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Chairman Phil Townsend and Deputy Chief Executive Helen Brown in a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to discuss the Trust’s redevelopment plans.
The meeting took place in the Department of Health as the Trust works to secure funding to move all of its clinical services at Watford General Hospital into new buildings on land next to its current site, as well as carrying out extensive refurbishment to its hospitals in Hemel Hempstead and St Albans.
Speaking after the meeting Dean Russell said that the “Trust’s plans are the shortest route to new and better buildings. I would like to thank Sajid Javid for taking the time to meet with us. The plans will improve healthcare at each of the three hospitals, delivering better services for both patients and staff.”
Phil Townsend said: “We were very grateful for the opportunity to present our ‘shovel-ready’ plans for our three hospitals. With outline planning permission in place, plans for our services across our sites worked through and our multi-storey car park finished on time and on budget, it was easy for the Health Secretary to see how quickly we could move onto the construction phase at Watford.
"We left him in no doubt that we are ready to welcome the diggers. The fact that we have completed our new £40m multi-storey car park with minimal disruption shows what can be done. Our current buildings will continue to function as we create a brand-new building on our new site.
“Aside from the bricks and mortar, we were pleased that Sajid Javid understood that our senior clinicians have been with us every step of the way on this journey and that our plans have been developed with them. He also heard how keen our workforce is to see change and that they support our plans. It was an encouraging meeting, and we very much appreciate the time and attention given to our proposals.”
