I was walking around Watford General Hospital the other day, on my way to do an interview with hospital radio, (more about that in a later blog) when it suddenly occurred to me what a mess the site was looking at the moment and how it must seem to patients as they arrive for their outpatient appointment or maybe to visit a friend or relative on one of the wards. If you’ve been to Watford General recently you can’t have failed to see the workmen with their hi-viz jackets and the scaffolding and boarding everywhere you look. As I walked through the main reception area, which at the moment is half boarded up with a makeshift hole in a boarding panel for the unfortunate receptionist to meet and greet patients, it reminded me of one of those makeover programmes you see so much of on the TV today. At the beginning of the programme, we are introduced to the victim - oh sorry I meant to say lucky recipient - and shown how years of abuse have resulted in the sad, tired, saggy looking person they are today. They are then whisked off for various torturous treatments, like having a face lift or having all their teeth removed, before being restyled and emerging at the end of the programme looking unrecognisable and ten years younger. Well, I believe Watford General is going through a similar process at the moment. I think most people would agree that it certainly was in much need of a complete makeover and I feel it’s now going through the torturous stage of having it’s face lifted, tummy tucked and teeth capped all at the same time. I can’t wait for all the bandages to come off, around the spring of next year, to reveal a new improved hospital site that we can all be proud of. At that time I’m sure we’ll all agree, as I expect they do at the end of the makeover programmes - No pain, No gain!