Members of the public are invited to submit their feedback on the future of hospital services in our area.

The engagement survey, called Your Care, Your Future, was launched by West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust (WHHT) yesterday (February 18).

The proposals for new ways to provide care are being developed alongside rebuild and refurbishment plans for Hemel Hempstead, St Albans City and Watford General hospitals.

The trust is currently at the outline business case stage of a major bid to the government for funding to refurbish St Albans City hospital alongside Hemel Hempstead, as well as for a transformation at Watford General Hospital, with up to 90 per cent new buildings.

In advance of building works, the trust has reviewed the way services are currently provided and is looking to make a range of improvements, including a higher proportion of single rooms, more ‘one stop’ clinics and more online appointments.

The proposals will also see each hospital having a more clearly-defined role. St Albans City will be the centre for planned surgery and cancer care, with emergency, inpatient and complex care remaining at Watford and planned medical care being based at Hemel Hempstead.

Urgent care services and some outpatient services will be provided at all three sites, and diagnostic facilities will be significantly upgraded at all three hospitals and the latest digital technology will be incorporated.

Chief medical officer Mike van der Watt said: “Creating a unique role for each site and making sure it has the right staff and facilities to provide an excellent standard of care is the backbone of our plans.

“I want to thank our busy clinicians for making the time to develop the proposals we are making public today. Despite the pressures, we have had great engagement and it’s clear how committed our staff are to making our services the best they can be.

"We have reviewed the latest best practice from this country and abroad and have used that as well as national policy and our own ideas to create a vastly improved way of delivering patient care.

“I am excited by our plans which are about so much more than buildings and beds. The quality and safety of our services and the clinical outcomes we want for our patients have been our guiding force.”

A survey will be issued by the trust to find out what people think of its ideas, and has offered to make presentations to local community groups. For further information, visit the trust’s website.