‘The big picture of health’ (From Borehamwood Times)

‘The big picture of health’

1:03pm Friday 30th November 2007

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Transport links and hospital parking were the main issues Hertfordshire residents raised at a health consultation meeting last week.

More than 100 representatives of community organisations, patient groups and local authorities gathered last Monday to hear the findings of the Delivering Quality Health Care for Hertfordshire consultation.

During the consultation, which ran from June to October, more than 6,000 questionnaires were returned, along with more than 300 letters and emails from residents and community organisations.

The most common concerns emerging from the responses, as well as feedback received through public events, were about travelling distance to hospitals and car parking provision.

Sixty per cent of respondents expressed opposition to the proposed centralisation of children's emergency care and surgery for West Hertfordshire residents to Watford General Hospital.

Proposals for planned surgery to be consolidated at either Hemel Hempstead or St Albans created a divided opinion, with 24 per cent opting for Hemel Hempstead General Hospital, 33 per cent of responses choosing St Albans City Hospital and 44 per cent having no opinion.

Professor Graham Ramsay, medical director at West Hertfordshire NHS Hospitals Trust, said: "My reading is a large number of responses came from the Dacorum area and this meant people didn't want to travel further to Watford for children's services.

"It is quite clear what people want here but the question now is, do we re-develop planned surgery services in Hemel Hempstead or keep planned surgery in St Albans?

"The responses for this leave us open to make up our own minds."

James Clappison, MP for Hertsmere, said: "The decision for planned surgery needs to be considered very carefully, as St Albans would be convenient for my constituency but I don't want to see other people in west Hertfordshire lose out."

Dr Tony Kostick, professional executive committee chairman of the East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust said: "We recognise that any proposals for change can bring about uncertainty and concern but the overwhelming belief of our senior clinicians is that, without these changes, patients could not be guaranteed safe and effective treatment of the highest quality.

"It is now our job to look at the big picture of health in Hertfordshire"

The consulting organisations are planning to hold a decision-making meeting in public in mid-December.

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