Local health services consolidated at the Lister
Barbara Follett has commented on the announcement that acute hospital services for east and north Hertfordshire will be consolidated at the Lister hospital in Stevenage.
Mrs Follett said, “I am very pleased that the long consultation process is finally over. I think we have made the right decision for the right reasons – clinical not financial ones. Now we must make sure that the people of Welwyn and Hatfield have the best possible local hospital and that the people of Hertfordshire get the cancer services they desperately need.
I know how disappointing this news must be for all those who have campaigned so hard to get these services located at the QE2 rather than the Lister Hospital. But I would urge them not to further delay the start of very necessary improvements in our local health provision by initiating a costly judicial review. The decision has been made. Now we must get on with getting the services we have talked about for so long in place.”
Notes
These decisions will now be considered by Hertfordshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee
A final timetable for implementing the changes has yet to be finalised. While some changes may take place during 2008/09, many will require major construction projects that will take several years to complete.
The future of the regional specialist cancer treatment service provided currently through the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre will be the subject of a separate, future review that will be led by primary care trusts.
Issued: 21.12.2007
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