Council backs calls for 24/7 open urgent treatment centre in Hemel Hempstead

Dacorum Borough councillors have unanimously backed calls for the Urgent Treatment Centre in Hemel Hempstead to be open 23 hours a day.
The urgent treatment centre in Hemel HempsteadThe urgent treatment centre in Hemel Hempstead
The urgent treatment centre in Hemel Hempstead

Members from all parties backed a motion last Wednesday fron Tory councillor Fiona Guest ensure that “the people of Dacorum deserve the best possible healthcare available.”

The motion called on the UTC to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with doctor cover.

The UTC replaced the old Urgent Care Centre, but did not restore the opening hours which were cut to 8am-10pm in December 2016. A consultation on the centre’s future and possible opening hours closed in March.

Cllr Guest said: “The ball is in the court of Herts Valleys CCG (HVCCG). I hope they are listening – because residents are concerned.”

A HVCCG spokesman said: “We had a good response to our consultation on the opening hours for the urgent treatment centre and the future contract for West Herts Medical Centre with over 600 people and organisations giving their views.

“We met separately with Dacorum Borough Council prior to the consultation to talk through the various issues around urgent care.

"We subsequently received the council’s response and this will be reflected in the report that goes to the Clinical Commissioning Group board on 10 May along with the views that were received through questionnaire responses, discussions at public meetings and individual comments, all of which have been independently analysed.

“We’d like to thank everyone for taking time to give us their views, all of which will be carefully considered.”