New providers reviewing services offered at Harpenden Memorial Hospital
The future of Harpenden Memorial Hospital was discussed at a meeting attended by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), Herts Valleys CCG, and St Albans and Harpenden Patient Group. Photo: Krishan Bhungar. - Credit: Archant
New providers are reviewing the health services offered at Harpenden’s historic hospital.
The future of Harpenden Memorial Hospital was discussed at a meeting attended by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), Herts Valleys CCG, St Albans and Harpenden Patient Group, and interested residents.
As of October, CLCH is taking over adult community services at the hospital from the Herts Community NHS Trust.
Currently, Harpenden Memorial Hospital offers treatment in podiatry, bladder and bowel, heart failure, diabetes, digital retinal screening, and ophthalmology.
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust were in the process of preparing a business plan to redevelop the Red House site but this was put on hold while the contracts transferred over.
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Now CLCH are looking to invest about £300,000 in the main building to reconfigure services and office accommodation for clinical staff.
Potential plans also include redeveloping the Stewarts building into a larger Harpenden Health and Wellbeing Centre.
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As part of that, the site may be used for a small housing development.
Chair of the St Albans and Harpenden Patient Group, John Wigley, said: "It was a positive meeting in my view, except that several of the Harpenden residents said, and I think this is true, that they have been there before.
"There have been so many claims that the Memorial Hospital would be redeveloped quickly that residents have become rather cynical about it."
A spokesperson for HVCG and CLCH issued a joint statement, thanking the residents who attended: "At the meeting CLCH reiterated their commitment to progressing work on Harpenden Memorial and to working with the local community and HVCCG to develop their plans - and doing this in a timely manner.
"The CCG also stressed it wanted to see Harpenden Memorial redeveloped for the benefit of local residents. We will work with CLCH to bring in more community health services in line with our Your Care, Your Future ambition to increase the local availability of health services so that people can access more care and support closer to where they live without having to travel so often to hospital outpatient clinics."
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is continuing to deliver services around the county.
