I WONDER what it is about the district of St Albans that makes our health chiefs believe you do not deserve or need adequate provision.

When the Review broke the news that plans for an urgent care centre in St Albans had been all but scrapped back in November last year, there remained a very slim hope that someone would rescue it.

It appeared that West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust and Herts Urgent Care would step in, but last week the board of NHS Hertfordshire pulled the plug.

Andrew Parker, director of primary care for NHS Hertfordshire, revealed that the board believed the ‘the impact of this provision would be meagre’.

Meagre? An urgent care centre meagre? Work that one out if you can. It is either urgent or it is not.

If it is, then why is it not being provided?

It if it meagre, or deficient in amount, quality or extent (that’s the dictionary definition) then why has so much money been wasted drawing these plans up?

The county’s health chiefs had promised to replace the minor injuries unit at St Albans Hospital with this care centre which would include a doctor on hand at all times.

The Review has been told that the minor injuries unit will remain open for now, but my first question would be: for how long?

And if the minor injuries unit provides a good enough service to the taxpaying citizens of this district, why did we need a ‘meagre urgent care centre’ in the first place?

The PCT might also like to say how much taxpayers’ money has been wasted on the plans for this centre. Something tells me it will not be a meagre amount.

My biggest concern is that in years to come, this district will be left with not much more than the minor injuries unit which will only be open at specific times.

Initial plans suggested that the centre would provide the same kind of service as an accident and emergency ward.

When it was first announced, the care centre was almost billed as a compensation package for St Albans as these faceless health chiefs concentrated on emergency acute services – heart attacks and strokes etc – at Watford General Hospital.

With the centre doomed, intermediate sufferers will continue to be transferred to Hemel Hempstead.

So when Mr Parker claims that this centre is not worth the cost he may care to rethink his statement.

Meanwhile the primary care trust may claim that the current health facilities in the district are safe – but what if they are not good enough?

The people of this district are used to being slapped in the face as far as health is concerned. But when the slapping is done by those paid to provide a service for us, it stings that little bit more.

No doubt they will soon progress to back slapping as they congratulate each other for working in such a severely stretched budget.

This is a huge step backwards for health care in the district. Sadly those in charge of health care do not seem to care enough.