Ongoing delays in rebuilding Watford General Hospital were thrust into the spotlight this week with council leaders urged to demand the scheme is brought forward.

Under the current time line, work is expected to start at the Watford site within the next eight years – at some point between 2032 and 2034.

But the impact of repeated delays were highlighted at a meeting of Hertfordshire County Council on Tuesday (October 20) with leader Cllr Steve Jarvis agreeing to raise the matter with the Secretary of State.

Leader of the Opposition Cllr Richard Roberts (Conservative, Kings Langley) said both Watford General and Princess Alexandra, in Harlow, had been “creaking” 10 years ago – and that “they really are struggling now”.

placeholder image — Watford General Hospital

He stressed that the scheme in Watford was “shovel ready” and could “go at any time”.

And he asked if all council leaders from across Hertfordshire could write a joint letter to the Secretary of State to “just ask if we can speed this process up”.

Cllr Dee Hart (Conservative, Waltham Cross ) raised concerns about facilities at both Watford General and Princess Alexandra hospitals.

And said: “The rebuild date is far too far away for both hospitals, where lack of space is affecting staff, patients and – of course – ambulance handovers at A&E departments.”

Watford mayor Cllr Peter Taylor (Liberal Democrat, Central Watford and Oxhey), said he had already written to the minister.

With construction due to start between 2032 and 2034, he suggested they wouldn’t see a new hospital in Watford until the end of the 2030s, which he said was “far, far too long”.

“We have been talking about this for decades,” he said.

“And so – as someone who regularly visits that site, who knows there is outline planning permission, better access, the land is available, and again as Cllr Roberts says, it is a ‘shovel ready’ scheme.

“What we need is for the government to deliver the funding.

“It would be really good to get cross-party support – leaders from all councils and all the groups on this council – to show that across Hertfordshire we recognise the need for this investment and for it to happen as soon as possible.”

In response to the concerns, leader of the county council Cllr Steve Jarvis acknowledged that the situation was “wholly unsatisfactory”. And he agreed to write to the Secretary of State.

“I think that we all acknowledge that the situation with Watford Hospital is wholly unsatisfactory – and has been for many, many years,” said Cllr Jarvis (Liberal Democrat, Royston West and Rural).

“I have lost count of the number of times it has been postponed by this government and the previous one and maybe even the one before that. It may go back even that far.

“It seems to me I write quite a lot of letters to Secretaries of State. I have to say they are not a panacea – but I absolutely agree that this is an occasion where we should write yet another one.

“This is not just an issue for people in Watford. It extends much more widely than that, because Watford Hospital, and its support services, impact a large part of Hertfordshire, if only by making capacity available elsewhere.”

The comments formed part of a debate around a report by the council’s Health Scrutiny Committee.

A recording of the meeting can be viewed here.