Mayor demands urgent clarification on Hospital future
Liberal Democrat Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor has written to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asking him to guarantee the required funding to upgrade facilities at Watford General Hospital.
In his letter, Peter emphasised the need for new facilities and equipment to ensure that the hospital meets the needs of 21st Century healthcare. The letter says:
“The investment secured by the local NHS trust in the government’s hospital funding programme is vital for the patients of the future and will benefit the whole of South West Hertfordshire.”
The letter calls for clarity on funding comes amid reports in the Financial Times that capital spending across government is being reviewed ahead of the government financial statement on November 17th. It also follows Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans Daisy Cooper raising the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Government’s handling of the hospital building scheme had already been under scrutiny by the National Audit Office, adding to fears that scheme faces cancellation, cuts or delays.
Commenting on the future of the Hospital building programme, Peter said:
“Watford General Hospital plays a key role in our local community. Residents in Watford and surrounding areas have waited too long for these improvements for them to be denied now. It would be an unacceptable state of affairs to have had the government dither and delay for so long that it has hit a point where it will pull the funding.
“Local leaders across South West Hertfordshire and MPs of differing political colours are behind this bid. It would be a real betrayal of everyone to stop or delay the new facilities, and it will cause real damage to the local NHS.”