Hemel MP hails 'welcome news' as Government says West Herts Hospital rebuild will be "fully funded"

The Hemel Hempstead MP Sir Mike Penning has hailed 'welcome news' as the Government says the West Herts Hospital rebuild will be "fully funded".

Watford General Hospital’s rebuild will be “fully funded”, the government has said.

The hospital in south-west Hertfordshire is one of seven in “cohort three” of the government’s national rebuild and refurbishment project – part of a 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex – near the border with Hertfordshire – is another of the seven earmarked for in cohort three, along with Hillingdon Hospital in west London.

Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead Sir Mike Penning, who has campaigned for a rebuilt hospital outside of Watford town centre, closer to patients in Hemel, has hailed the announcement “welcome news”.

Peter Taylor, the Liberal Democrat directly elected Mayor of Watford, said he is pleased with the “long overdue announcement”, but warned the government is talking about a standardised design which he is “disappointed by”.

Announcing the move, health secretary Steve Barclay MP (Con, North East Cambridgeshire) said: “As we celebrate 75 years of the NHS this summer we must continue to set up its success for 75 years to come.

“At the heart of this is our New Hospital Programme, the biggest hospital building programme in a generation which will help us to deliver on our manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.

“And today I can re-confirm to the House of Commons our commitment for 40 new hospitals to be built by 2030.”

He said eight hospitals are in the first cohort of the scheme, with two hospitals already open – the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle and the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

Work on Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, which has a satellite clinic in Potters Bar, is due to start “imminently”.

The health secretary named 10 hospitals in cohort two.

Cohort three including Watford and Harlow ‘will now proceed’

Confirming funding for the seven in cohort three, he said: “Today’s announcement confirms these schemes will now proceed and be fully funded.

“They will be constructed using the Hospital 2.0 standardised approach.

“It is worth reminding the House of the merits of using that methodology.

“First, while longer is taken on the initial overall design rather than each scheme beginning to construct its own bespoke design the current approach has meant the average time from design to completion of a major hospital has been around 11 and a half years.

“By embracing modern methods of construction we will speed up the construction phase and in addition, accelerate Treasury and other government assurance processes.

“So while there has been much debate to date on when hospitals start the more important issue is when schemes are completed.

“And a standardised modular design has been shown to work in other sectors, for example when building schools, prisons and is widespread across the private sector.”

Mr Barclay confirmed enabling work was “delayed” at cohort three hospitals because of uncertainty around Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

There are seven hospitals in the country, There are seven hospitals in the country, although none in cohort three, which were built using this type of concrete – including units throughout the East in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

They are “not safe to operate beyond 2030”.

A separate Department of Health and Social Care press release sets out “reprioritisation” and the rising cost of materials will mean “up to eight schemes that were originally due to be constructed towards the end of the decade will now be completed past 2030”.

It is not known which hospitals will be delayed, and if that list includes hospitals in or around Hertfordshire.

Mr Barclay added: “I want to pay tribute to Right Honourable and Honourable Members who have campaigned so strongly for the cohort three hospitals to proceed.”

He named Julie Marson, MP for Hertford and Stortford, and Boris Johnson, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, among others, in his tribute.

Hemel Hempstead MP says battle for new hospital location is ‘lost’

Sir Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, had called for the hospital to be built in an alternative location which is not in Watford town centre.

He said: “I very much welcome this news. I and community action groups such as the New Hospital Campaign group have been campaigning for a completely new acute hospital for all in West Hertfordshire and I am delighted that a fully funded completely new building has been given the go ahead today.

“We are understandably disappointed that it will be on the existing Watford site when it is so obvious that a new site, equally accessible from Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Watford would have been the more sensible option, but I concede that that battle has now been lost.

“It is right, though, to welcome this news.

“Watford General has deteriorated to such an extent that a completely new hospital is much needed and I know that staff and patients alike will be pleased with this news.”

Mayor: New hospital announcement is ‘long overdue’

Directly elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said: “For many years we have done everything possible to back investment in new facilities at Watford General Hospital. I am very pleased to hear the government make this long overdue announcement today.

“Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go and if the past is anything to go by, progress will be slow.

“I am disappointed that the government are still talking about standardising construction methods and imposing a one size fits all approach to building the new hospitals.

“We need a hospital in Watford that meets the needs of local patients now and in the future.

“Residents and our incredibly hardworking NHS staff deserve nothing less.”

Councillor Nigel Bell, leader of the Labour groups at Watford Borough and Hertfordshire County councils, said: “We have been waiting years and years for this.

“We heard original plans towards the end of the Labour government, and have been calling for the rebuild to start right through the Boris Johnson and Liz Truss premierships.

“We are still a long way from anything being built.

“We need more detail about the plans, when the unit will be completed, and when it will open.

“We cannot wait until 2030 or 2032.”

Watford General Hospital: A new look

A “preferred option” for a rebuilt Watford General Hospital was confirmed in 2022 – which would need a £1.27billion investment.

At Watford General Hospital, this would mean “a 100 per cent new build clinical facilities” on land next to the existing unit.

Some money would go towards Hemel Hempstead Hospital to provide “a wider and more specialised range of care for patients with long term conditions”.

Additional funds would also go to St Albans City Hospital to “grow its planned surgery services, with new operating theatres and diagnostic suites set to open next year”.

Matthew Coats, the WHTH NHS Trust chief executive, said: “This is fantastic news.

“Our patients and staff can look forward to a complete transformation in terms of our buildings and the way our services work together.

“Our staff work so hard in buildings that add challenge to already demanding jobs.

“I am so pleased that we will be able to offer a far better working environment and one they can be proud of.

“Local people can be assured that the new hospital has been designed with the sole priority of delivering our vision – the very best care for every patient, every day.”