Campaign group slams Hemel Hempstead hospital proposals after 'extraordinary u-turn'
A campaign group has heavily criticised plans to open a health campus in Hemel Hempstead and has accused leaders of ‘rushing’ the potential closure of the town’s hospital.
But Dacorum’s borough council and NHS rejected claims engagement meetings about the plans had been poorly advertised – saying around 8,000 people responded to a consultation highlighting the health campus project.
They added they will continue to discuss the plans with patients and the wider public
Proposals to open a new health campus in Market Square have been put forward by representatives from Dacorum Borough Council and the West Hertfordshire NHS Trust.
But the Dacorum Health Action Group has called the plans an ‘extraordinary u-turn’ and claims the Market Square site was considered one of the worst options available for a new health centre just seven years ago.
It is claimed that the plans to replace the current 200-year-old hospital with a new health campus in Market Square would fall short of the pledge Keir Starmer made regarding the project.
The Prime Minister said: “The proposals for the health campus will be open to public consultation. I’d urge the whole community to input into that to ensure the strongest investment case is put forward.”
Labour’s leader was responding to a question regarding the proposals put forward by Hemel Hempstead MP David Taylor. When approached for comment on the action group’s objections, he said: “I continue to engage with every stakeholder involved in the future of health provision across Hemel Hempstead. While I am not in a decision-making role, I am pushing for all services to be as ambitious as possible.”
Philip Aylett, chair of Dacorum Health Action Group (DHAG), said: “In rushing forward with the closure of our hospital, NHS managers and Dacorum Borough Council have shown contempt for local people. Keir Starmer made a clear promise to David Taylor that there would be public consultation over the NHS and council plans to flatten the existing hospital and squeeze all services into a single Market Square 'hub' block. This would have given us a proper chance to consider the alternative of developing the current hospital site.
"There are 430 parking spaces at the hospital, the majority filled on weekdays. The NHS and Council think all those cars will fit into the 600 space Water Gardens car park, which is already more than half full. Their numbers don't add up. The planners disregard the poor mobility and other conditions of many patients, who need close parking. And the restricted site will not allow for expansion as the population grows and ages. It is irrational to give up a site with plenty of scope for expansion in favour of a cramped hub.
“The last time the NHS considered the future of Dacorum's hospital services, in 2018, the Market Square hub was rated the very worst option out of a shortlist of ten. What has happened to make it "the preferred way forward" for NHS bosses and the council? We are owed an explanation of this extraordinary U-turn. The health of residents is clearly a lower priority than selling off the hospital land and the council's need to do something with the Market Square.”
It is said that the health campus would benefit Dacorum patients by bringing health services under one roof. Current proposals include: a hospital, GP surgery, mental health, social care, wellbeing and community services all being opened at the new campus.
In response to the action groups criticisms the West Hertfordshire NHS Trust and Dacorum Borough Council said in a statement: “The local NHS and Dacorum Borough Council have been working together to design services and healthcare which better meet the needs of our residents and deliver the joined up, accessible and tailored approach residents tell us they value most. A number of options have been assessed, and we have outlined why the proposed Hemel Health Campus is the preferred option at this stage for delivering these services.
“Over the last four months, almost 8,000 people have engaged directly with the project proposals through the dedicated health campus microsite, face-to-face events, and public survey, to provide their feedback. We will continue to engage with patients and the wider public as we progress through the stages of the project, which is publicly available at https://letstalk.dacorum.gov.uk/hemel-health-campus.”