Long-awaited funding for the redevelopment of Watford General Hospital that will "transform healthcare" has finally been confirmed.
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, announced the new hospital during a speech in Parliament this afternoon (Thursday, May 25).
The "fully funded, state of the art" site will be built next to the current Watford General Hospital, after West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's plans were approved last summer, pending government money.
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Following the announcement, Watford MP Dean Russell said he was "overjoyed" and made "no apologies for endlessly badgering the Health Secretary, the Chancellor, and the Prime Minister for this funding".
He continued: "Not only will we get a flagship new hospital in Watford but the Trust’s other sites in Hemel and St Albans will see significant improvement works.
"I made a promise to Watford residents that we would secure world class facilities.
"Thank you to everyone who supported me and the Trust in securing this announcement. We did this together.”
Not everyone was pleased with the announcement, with Philip Aylett of the New Hospital Campaign describing the location as "a very bad place to put an emergency care and specialist hospital".
He continued: "This announcement, just the latest of many relaunches for the Watford General scheme, leaves many vital questions unanswered.
"The Trust have failed to gain approval for their preferred option, and will now have to adapt their plans to standardised modular methods of construction to fit into the national programme.
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"That will take yet more time.
"Tower blocks of the sort desired by the Trust, but disliked by so many in Watford, may well not be easy to adapt to modular methods.
"Much uncertainty continues about the viability of the project.
"Whatever happens at Watford General, the problems of access to a constricted and congested site in a highly built-up area will remain.
"The impact of building work on patients during construction will be severe."
Watford Mayor Peter Taylor said he was "very pleased" to hear the "long overdue" announcement, but added: "Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go and if the past is anything to go by, progress will be slow.
"I am disappointed that the government are still talking about standardising construction methods and imposing a one-size-fits-all approach to building the new hospitals.
"We need a hospital in Watford that meets the needs of local patients now and in the future.
"Residents and our incredibly hardworking NHS staff deserve nothing less."
The announcement for a new Watford General Hospital came with the promise of funding for a wide range of hospitals across the country.
To date, Watford General has received more than £51 million from the programme for enabling works, along with an additional £11.5 million for the reconfiguration of pathology at Watford General, St Albans City Hospital, and Hemel Hempstead Hospital.
Natalie Forrest, senior responsible owner of the New Hospital Programme, said: "This is a significant milestone for the New Hospital Programme as we continue to progress with delivering facilities for staff and patients at the cutting edge of modern technology with the experience of those who will use these hospitals at the heart of our focus.”
The government aims to build 40 new hospitals in England by 2030.
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