Minister admits 79 acute hospital beds will be lost in so-called 'reconfiguration'.

Responding to a written answer he received from Health Minister Andy Burnham, Mike Penning MP for Hemel Hempstead, said:

“It is absolute madness that the hospital trust serving three of Hertfordshire’s largest towns is cutting the number of acute hospital beds by such a massive number”.

The number of beds to be cut was admitted by Minister of State for Delivery and Quality (!!), Andy Burnham, in a written reply to a question from Mike Penning.

Mike, who is a member of the House of Commons Health Select Committee, said: “Our healthcare is totally in the hands of the accountants. None of these cuts make any sense when looked at from a medical point of view.”

“This will now mean that there will be no beds at Hemel whatsoever,” he added.