Watford General Hospital: Politicians press for answers on funding

An artist's impression of the proposed new entrance for Watford General Hospital

Politicians from across a county have come together to request an update on funding for a £550m hospital redevelopment.

Three council leaders and two MPs in Hertfordshire have written to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, asking when funding will be made available for Watford General Hospital.

The Department of Health and Social Care said funding would be released when a business case had been agreed.

The outline plans were backed in July.

The letter was from Liberal Democrats Peter Taylor, elected Mayor of Watford; Sarah Nelmes, leader of Three Rivers Council; Chris White, leader of St Albans City and District Council; and Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans; and Dean Russell, Conservative MP for Watford.

The hospital, on Vicarage Road, has about 600 beds and nine theatres

Under the proposals, the majority of wards would be housed in three blocks, potentially 17 storeys high, and built next to the current site.

West Hertfordshire NHS Trust previously confirmed its preferred option was for a significant rebuild of the hospital.

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Mr Taylor, who co-ordinated the letter, said: "Redevelopment of the hospital is an important and much-needed investment that will benefit everyone who uses Watford General.

"The fact that there has been no progress on this in the last few months is very worrying for all of us who have worked so hard to bring forward this excellent proposal.

"We can't afford to let this project be delayed any longer."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "We have committed to build 48 hospitals by 2030, backed by an initial £3.7 billion.

"The new Watford General Hospital will deliver brand new, state-of-the-art facilities to ensure world-class healthcare services for NHS patients and staff.

"We are working very closely with the trust to develop their plans for the new hospital, and individual funding allocations for schemes can only be confirmed once the full business case is reviewed and agreed."