MP urges building of new hospital on present site

MP Oliver Heald is urging health chiefs to build a new hospital in Royston.

He said the current Royston & District hospital site in London Road could be redeveloped.

He has suggested that a new building could provide a diagnostic and intermediate care centre.

The idea has been suggested to Ann Lewis, the new chief executive of the North and East Herts Primary Care Trust.

Mr Heald said he has called on the development of the hospital site as the Government's health programme appears to be in disarray.

The current situation in the NHS has "given an opportunity for new thinking", he said.

The MP for North-east Herts told The Crow that the idea would appear to work alongside current Government thinking.

Such a development would see the introduction of a building with modern technology and could act as a "counterpoint" to the centralisation of other services, he said.

Another reason behind Mr Heald's suggestion is the recent collapse of plans to build a super hospital at Hatfield.

"It does give an opportunity to have another look to see about what is happening to Royston hospital.

"I think a lot of people would like to see the hospital do more."

He continued: "It is worth raising this because it is along the lines of what we originally wanted for the hospital.

"The plans from the past got downgraded, but now the health authorities are thinking new thoughts.

"It struck me that we should put our bid in and see whether we can get something more substantial in Royston," he said.

He added that the idea would be "working with the grain" of Government policy.

In recent years there have been several plans revolving around the future of the hospital which have included developing part of the site for hosing to meet the costs of modernising the building.

In the summer, the primary care trust and Herts County Council said it was looking at the hospital to meet peoples care needs.