Agenda item

An opportunity for members of the public to make statements or ask questions in accordance with the rules as to public participation

The following question was read out by Philip Aylett:

Question

What is the target date for the NHS to publish its clinical strategy in respect of the proposed Hemel Health Campus, and what arrangements have been made for engagement on that strategy and the Strategic Outline Case for the Campus?

Answer

Toby Hyde informed the committee that in line with previous commitments the plan is to consider the clinical model for the facility as part of the strategic outline case – which will be completed by December 2025. 

The new programme director has now been appointed to lead this work and will commence in April. 

A Communication and Engagement Plan is being finalised by the Communications Teams of the three lead partners. This will be presented at the next committee although it is likely this will be circulated in advance of that.

The following questions were submitted by Steve Day

1 A letter is written to the person in charge of Wes Streetings New Hospital program review putting across Dacorum councils objection to the current scheme in Watford instead of a clear site elsewhere.

2 To give the voting electorate a clear view of where their elected officials stand for the committee (or maybe full council) to run a survey asking district, county and MP's to clearly respond to one of these 3 options.

   1 Who today supports ONLY a market square "health centre" in Hemel Hempstead

   2 Who today supports a market square "health centre" in Hemel Hempstead PLUS an acute Hospital re-build in Watford

   3 Who today supports a market square "Health centre" in Hemel Hempstead PLUS an acute hospital and other facilities on a centrally located site NOT in Watford.

3 The leader of the council stated that the NHS "made a strategic business case AND an outline business case" and that the NHS came to a decision (relating to proceeding with a re-build of Watford hospital) in May 2022. This is the link to that statement https://youtu.be/zc-A7kY2VVc?t=3499

This is factually incorrect. To date the trust has NOT completed an outline business case. This is evidenced here https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/our-hospitals/investing-in-our-hospitals/background where the board meeting papers for the 31st of May 2022 states " Clarity on preferred options is needed to be able to complete the outline business case which is due to be submitted for a decision on funding later this year or in early 2023"

This outline business case has to my knowledge never been completed and if it exists has not been published.

I would like the chair of the health committee to recognise that the leader of the council misspoke / or misled the full council and that the minutes for the full council meeting are updated to show that the NHS has NOT completed an outline business case.

The chair read out the questions and a discussion took place among the committee members concluding with the following points noted.

Answer: The chair responded. A written question submitted by Steve Day on 2^nd December was read out in full by the chair to the committee. The committee were given the opportunity to respond. The chair indicated that she had received one written response. The question required responses from all district, county and MP's.

Members of the committee discussed the issues raised and it was agreed that this was not the correct forum to ask these questions as the committee does not have the views of each individual councillor at district and county and the views of all the MP’s. Any survey would need to be presented to all councillors.

The chair suggested this be presented at full council, however further discussion recognised that members of Dacorum Borough Council would not be in a position to represent the views of all the county councillors and MP’s.

Cllr Adrian England had confirmed prior to the meeting that he would issue a correction at the next full council meeting.