More than 100 people were at the packed gathering at St John's Church Hall in Boxmoor and tension was fuelled as many tried to get answers from representatives of the West Herts Primary Care Trust (PCT) on the future of the current hospital buildings.

Meanwhile two police community support officers, called in at the request of the PCT, stood by. The presence of the officers was said to be routine where numbers were expected to exceed the building's capacity.

The panel, including West Herts Hospitals Trust chief executive David Law, was reluctant to discuss the re-siting rumours but in a statement later the PCT firmly denied the idea.

Hospital campaigner Jan Maddern raised the issue at the meeting after hearing rumours that the college pulled out of Hemel Hempstead's town centre regeneration plan in order to sell its land to the NHS.

A spokesman for the college was unable to say whether the PCT had put in an offer for the land but said all bids were welcome.

Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning said: "There's a lot of suspicion because suddenly the college has pulled out of the council plans and wants to sell independently, and at the same time David Law has not denied that he will sell off the whole hospital land.

"I have asked him to tell me which part of the hospital land is safe and he tells me he can't comment on that.
"I don't know whether or not he's negotiating with the college but it is suspicious. There's something going on."

In the latest consultation, hospital bosses have proposed to scatter health services across Hertfordshire, retaining a local general hospital in Hemel Hempstead with an urgent care centre led by GPs in place of an accident and emergency department.

When asked which hospital buildings are guaranteed to be safe on the current site, a PCT spokesman said: "Until the consultation is completed and the outcome known, we are not able to say definitely which services will be provided in Hemel Hempstead in the future.
"Once the outcome is known then discussions about buildings will commence."

Activist Betty Harris said of Thursday's meeting: "David Law stated that the idea had been discussed, so far only in conversation, of having a new build in the centre of Hemel Hempstead.

"He went on to say that he would dearly love to have the new build in the very centre of town for the benefit of residents.
"Maybe, of course, unaware there would then be no possibility of any extension when necessary.

"If he was so deeply concerned about the communities of Dacorum, St Albans and Harpenden he would retain the services we still have and return the ones we have had so cruelly removed from Hemel Hempstead Hospital."
Campaigners have long feared that any plans to sell off even more hospital land would mean even fewer services in the town and prevent any future return of those already lost.
People have until Monday, October 1, to return the PCT's consultation questionnaire on future hospital services.
The process has already come under criticism from Dacorum Hospital Action Group (DHAG) which claims many homes did not receive the document.

* There is a public meeting on Monday, September 24, at 7pm in the Civic Centre, Berkhamsted.

The health consultation
questionnaire is available by ringing 01707 361269 (24 hour message service) or write to Delivering Quality Health Care for Hertfordshire Consultation, Charter House, Freepost 145, Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6B, or email consult@herts-pcts.nhs.uk

To fill in the questionnaire visit the PCT website at www.enherts-pct.nhs.uk/consultation

You can download the questionnaire by clicking here.