Hemel Hempstead MP says £590million is enough for a new hospital

Sir Mike said: “This is fantastic news; it means that a new hospital on a central site is really affordable. Numerous new hospitals are being built across the country on similar budgets.

“The Trust can no longer hide behind the ‘there is not enough money’ excuse to reject the new site option.

“It is obvious that a new site would be easier and quicker than any disastrous attempt to renovate the crumbling Watford General Hospital whilst trying to keep it operational at the same time.

“Quite simply, this is a great opportunity and the Trust would be foolish not to grasp it.”

On Thursday in the House of Commons, Sir Mike called for a Parliamentary debate on the management of NHS Trusts and their lack of accountability to the public they serve.

In the Commons, he said: “Many Members of this House have said to me that they feel frustrated that they cannot hold their own local health trusts to account when things like this are going on.

“This is nothing to do with the frontline - it is nothing to do with the brilliant work that has been going on over years and in respect of Covid; it is to do with the management of trusts and how we can hold them to account.”

Helen Brown, deputy chief executive at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, confirmed the Department of Health and Social Care has said the trust can look at options that would require more than the £400m.

She said: “It was confirmed that an option with much more new build at Watford General Hospital, including replacing rather than refurbishing the main clinical block, could be one of the options we consider. This would cost approximately £590m.

“However, there is no guarantee at this stage that this funding is available.

“Our intention is to find the best solution that also meets the criteria that we are developing, with input from our newly formed stakeholder reference group.

“We are aware that the mention of potential larger investment is of interest to those who want to see an all new hospital on another site.

“This option will be part of our longlist and will be subject to the same rigorous process as the other possibilities we will be looking at.”

She added: “We continue to make information available on our website and to share news of any other developments in this exciting project and we are also continuing to welcome new members to our stakeholder reference group. More information can be found on our website here”