Response to inaccurate comments regarding our plans for Hemel Hempstead Hospital
Posted: 16 March 2021
We are aware of comments which paint an inaccurate picture of our proposals for Hemel Hempstead Hospital.
We are proud of our plans which are summarised here by our chief medical officer, Dr Mike van der Watt:
“Our vision is to create a ‘multi-specialty’ hospital which will
provide planned medical care and care for patients with long term conditions.
There will be upgraded diagnostic equipment and an increased number of services
which will be based at Hemel Hempstead Hospital.
“With an ageing population and around 30 per cent of people having a
long term condition, our improvements at Hemel Hempstead Hospital will have a
huge positive impact on patients in west Herts who can be seen in a calm setting
away from our busy emergency site.
“Reorganising our services and investing in Hemel Hempstead Hospital
will result in more ‘one stop’ appointments where many different stages of
diagnosis and treatment are combined in a single appointment. The hospital will
be home to a wide range of specialised imaging services, a dedicated frailty
assessment and treatment centre and a new hub for specialist diabetes and
endocrinology. This is good news for patients.
“The focus at Hemel Hempstead Hospital is on outpatient care that leads
to the best quality of life for our patients, whether they are recovering from
an illness or living with a long term condition. We have taken inspiration from
successful healthcare models in the UK and abroad which prove beyond doubt that
great hospital care is about so much more than buildings and beds. We will also
continue to provide an urgent care service, blood tests and a range of local
outpatient services such as antenatal care.
“I would like to thank our clinicians for their dedication, expertise and enthusiasm in developing proposals which set out a brighter future for our patients. These are exciting times and I urge local people to get involved, either by attending an online meeting, reading our engagement documents or by completing our survey to share their response to our ideas.”.
FURTHER INFORMATION
- For more information, please contact the communications team on: 01923 436280 or email: westherts.communications@nhs.net. For out of hours media enquiries please call the Watford General Hospital switchboard on 01923 244366 and ask for the on call communications manager.
- West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust serves people from across Hertfordshire, north London and further afield. It operates from three hospitals; Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead. The trust has a catchment area of over 500,000 people and is one of the largest employers locally, with around 5,000 staff and volunteers.
- For more information about our hospitals, visit www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk. You can also join our followers on Twitter (twitter.com/westhertsNHS) and find us on Facebook (facebook.com/westhertsNHS).
