BREAKING NEWS: Royston Hospital to close within a fortnight
AN emergency closure will see Royston Hospital shut its doors to in-patients within a fortnight.
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust announced the move today (Thursday) as it could not maintain staffing levels at the London Road site.
Julie Hoare, the Trust’s Director of Operations said: “It has become increasingly difficult to maintain staffing levels at the hospital due to the uncertainty over its future. The hospital has been earmarked for closure in June and some staff have left us in recent months or have sought posts in other parts of our Trust.
“The imminent permanent closure of the hospital has meant that we have been unable to fill vacancies at the hospital and it has become difficult for the remaining staff to take on existing workloads.
“It will get to the stage where there are risks to the quality of treatment and levels of safety offered to patients at the hospital whilst under our care.
“This is unacceptable, so we have taken the decision to relocate the inpatient beds. We have informed NHS Hertfordshire (the PCT) of our decision.
“Presently we have only nine patients at Royston Hospital and we are expecting that their treatment will have been completed and they will all be able to go home, by April 17. Outpatient clinics and community services will continue at Royston as normal.
Most Read
- 1 US star George Clooney spotted directing new film in Hertfordshire
- 2 Three dogs including pregnant Jack Russell stolen from Wimpole kennels
- 3 Family of patient who died from drug overdose speak out after inquest
- 4 MP visits Royston lab to learn about local success story
- 5 Royston children encouraged to write to the Queen
- 6 Council confirms first monkeypox case in Hertfordshire
- 7 Police find body in search for missing 71-year-old Raymond
- 8 Strictly for Charity fundraising event gets people's toes tapping for Home-Start
- 9 New mayor makes historic market her first stop
- 10 Explained: What the cost of living support package means for you
“We have been in regular communication with our staff, and will be continuing to support them. I would like to thank all the staff for their continued commitment to deliver an excellent service for patients at Royston hospital, especially when the future has been so uncertain.”
