Minutes:
David Evans, Helen Brown and Trever Fernandes provided the Committee members with a presentation regarding the redevelopment of the WHH Estate.
The Committee were informed that although the final decision has not been made, Currently Option 1 (redevelopment of the Watford site) is looking like the preferred option.
Councillor England acknowledged the CCG have a very difficult job to do but feels that the location of the hospital is key to ensuring the success of the process. He feels Option 4 would provide a better solution. On 30 May 2019 HVH wrote to the Board Members with a suggestion of alternative location on private land which would provide an ideal location, it was disappointing that this wasn’t acknowledged or discussed at the public meeting.
Helen Brown is excited to meet with Councillor England and discuss these options, but the issue still remains that whatever option is chosen it must be provided within the 350M budget.
Councillor Freeman feels the data they are basing the decision on is bias and feels the results are being used to justify a decision which had already been made.
H.Brown appreciates his opinion but disagrees that this is the case.
Councillor Beauchamp would like to know how much Investment will be made to the Hemel site.
H.Brown confirms that 20M will be invested, 10M of which will come from land sales.
Councillor Bhinder would like it made clearer in future that the 20M investment is made up of these land sales as well as he feels it is misleading not to mention this.
Councillor Wyatt-Lowe acknowledges there has to be investment on the Watford site as it cannot be left to languish as it is, but the views of the people also have to be taken into consideration, they feel the Hemel Hospital is struggling as it is and as the population grows over the next 10 years it will be unable to cope with the increased demand, yet it seems there is no plan to try and take some of the pressure off Watford so that it can perform as it is supposed to. This process has to be more forward thinking and one which addressed local people’s concerns for now and in the future.
D.Evans, explains that this process is about transformation of services and how they can be delivered in the future, part of “your care your future” is about delivering services in the community which relives some of the pressure of in Hospital Care. There are plans in place for the future and the plans which were presented in the meeting are about taking these things into consideration.
Councillor Maddern would like to remind committee members that in 2008 the reason given for choosing the Watford site over Hemel Hempstead was the Hill that Hemel Hempstead Hospital is located on and the problems this would provide for the build and for patients, however the proposed Watford development is being built on a hill so this reason now seems redundant.
Councillor Maddern would also like clarification regarding the comments made at a recent meeting, time and time again advice has been given that planned and unplanned surgeries have to be conducted at separate sites however the chosen option would provide both of these at the Watford Site. This totally contradicts everything that has been advised before.
H.Brown acknowledges that Mike was not accurate with his numbers at that meeting and she apologies for that, some planned surgeries will still be performed at the Watford site however most planned surgeries will take place in St Albans.
Councillor England states that the consensus in the room and across the borough is that option 4 is clearly the preferred option, he acknowledges there are constraints with the budget and the build but he implore the CCG to be open minded and look at this options before making their final decision.
Councillor Bhinder would like some further details about the finances of the HVCCG
H.Brown Explained this is a very complex matter therefore she would be happy to arrange another meeting with HVCCG Finance Director to discuss the matter further.
Councillor England would like it noted that at a meeting in December he stated that in relation to planned care he personally was open to this option as a bridge to getting what he feels is needed in the future, he doesn’t feel the future is at Watford.
H.Brown agrees there needs to be a sustainable and safe solution, she feels the board have been very open and balanced, they have to make the decisions based on what they know now and the budget they have at this time.
Councillor Maddern feels that although it has been stated several times in this meeting that the final decision hasn’t been made she feels it has.
D.Evans assures the Committee this isn’t the case and there is more work to do before the final decision is made in July.
Councillor Bhinder put forward the following proposal for a draft motion at Full Council
This council believes the only option to provide the future emergency and specialist hospital provision required for the growing population of West Hertfordshire is a new purpose built central hospital on a clear site suitable for the 21st century health care delivery. The Council believes there must also be a full range of diagnostics and services at the three main towns of West Hertfordshire.
This Council does not support the proposal to focus the majority of services and investment in the Watford site as we believe this will not provide and acceptable level of provision for the residents of Dacorum which we feel would be better served by a new build as would the needs of the wider West Hertfordshire population.
Proposer Councillor Wyatt-Lowe
Seconder Councillor Beauchamp