Mum wants more health services for children in Hemel Hempstead after London trip to see surgeon

Harrison Foakes, aged one, had to be taken all the way to London to see a plastic surgeon as there was nowhere in Hemel that could see him

Georgina Marsh, 23, was shocked when she was told that nobody locally could see her son Harrison Foakes, aged one, after he severely split his lip after falling over.

The young mum attended the Urgent Care Centre (UCC) in Hemel Hempstead with her partner Sonnie Foakes, 26, after Harrison’s accident on the evening of July 11.

And despite being hugely impressed with the help she was given at the UCC, she’s upset there was nowhere nearby for Harrison to be seen. The couple ended up taking their son to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

A&E services closed at Hemel in 2009, and overnight services ceased at the UCC in December, with the Gazette backing a campaign to build a new greenfield site hospital nearby for residents.

Georgina said: “Harrison had just started walking that week, and he fell over and split his lip. There was blood everywhere and I felt sick.

“We rushed him to the UCC and the nurses were good, but they said he needed to see a plastic surgeon.

“They made several calls but nowhere could see him. The nurse seemed fed up and a bit embarrassed.

“Eventually Chelsea and Westminster Hospital said they could see him that night, so we rushed off.

“We then got a call that they couldn’t see him until the next morning.”

Harrison has fully recovered as the lip started healing naturally, but Georgina added: “There should be somewhere more local where children can be seen.”