North East Herts MP Oliver Heald today pressed for assurances on Royston healthcare at a further meeting with NHS and Herts County Council chiefs.
The meeting was chaired by County Councillor Colette Wyatt-Lowe and included County Councillors Tony Hunter and Fiona Hill, Royston Town Council’s FJ Smith and Susan Thornton-Bjork, Dr Peter Gough and representatives of the Action Group, led by Chris Cowsley, and the League of Friends of Royston Hospital led by Guy Garfit. Local philanthropist Martin Lewis also attended.
The assurances given were that :
There would be no gaps in care as the £1 million Health Centre extension and the £12 million NHS/care home are being built,
An application for planning permission for the Health centre extension would be made public in the next 2-3 weeks,
Royston’s intermediate care patients would be able to be treated in Royston again in 6-8 weeks’ time,
Discussions would continue about providing improved facilities for diagnostics in Royston and that the Friends of Royston Hospital would be involved in discussions on options on how to spend their funds to help patients.
The discussions ranged widely and the Action Group were promised full access to the documents they wish to see and the explanations they wish to have.
Commenting Oliver Heald MP said “This was a good opportunity to press the Health and County Council officers for assurances and I was pleased that the Royston intermediate care patients will soon be treated locally again and that we will soon see the detailed plans for the £1 million Health Centre extension. I will continue to press for additional facilities.”
Cllr F John Smith said: “The assurance that there will be no gaps in healthcare as the building projects unfold is of key importance and we will hold them to it.”