How sad it is that the project to build a £1million medical centre at Borehamwood's Boulevard 25 shopping centre has fallen through.

The centre would have made healthcare more accessible for Borehamwood's growing population, and provided a wealth of services. For a town without a hospital, it would have been invaluable.

The idea was to allow people to see doctors, dentists and opticians, thereby removing the inconvenience of visiting different health premises on different days. The presence of Hertsmere Primary Care Trust in the same building would have meant people could receive general advice about healthcare and talk about any concerns they may have.

The centre could also have brought even more people into the the shopping centre, which would have given a boost to the town's economy.

Sadly, the project was not supported. But all is not lost, and a new much-needed doctors' surgery is still going to be developed.

When new housing estates are built at the former school sites across Borehamwood and at the Fire Research Station site, it will be vital to have these extra places for new patients.

June 27, 2002 12:00