3:44pm Thursday 22nd March 2007
PLANS to centralise emergency health services in Watford have been thrown into uncertainty this week after a High Court ruling to review the closure of Hemel Hempstead's A&E.
A judicial review of the decision to close the department at Hemel Hempstead Hospital was granted yesterday.
It comes after claims that the consultation process leading to the decision was flawed.
Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning said: "The so-called public consultation was a complete sham and it should be clear to anyone with an ounce of common sense that a town the size of Hemel needs an A&E department."
Acute services including A&E, intensive care, complex surgery and women's and children's services for West Hertfordshire are to be centralised in Watford as part of cost saving measures.
West Hertfordshire MP David Gauke welcomed the review, saying: "I have got a lot of concerns about the impact of the reconfiguration and whether Watford General can cope with the increased use which will follow.
"I also have my concerns about how the consultation process was done and I think that the local hospital trust has got a case to answer.
"We have a real crisis on our hands and what is proposed is not necessarily going to provide a solution."
At the time of going to press a representative from West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust was not available for comment.
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