I write this as Parliament has just broken up for the Summer recess, so I thought I’d update you on some of the issues I’ve been working on lately.
The first is the cuts to frontline services affecting both Hemel Hempstead and Watford hospitals. West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust has a major financial crisis partly caused by the funding formula which is biased against the south east of England. The trust is currently “consulting” on a couple of scenarios although it is pretty clear that they intend to close the hospital at Hemel altogether and move acute services to Watford. How this is going to work in practice is anybody’s guess, but it is clear that patients using either hospital are going to be worse off. We are organising a “bed-push” to highlight the issue in October. We will push a specially adapted hospital bed from Hemel to Watford hospital on Sunday 8th October. We will need as much help and support as possible, so keep that date free in your diary and I’ll let you know more details shortly. I’ve also been concerned about Government plans to force through a merger of Hertfordshire’s police with Essex and Bedfordshire. I am pleased to be able to report that the new Home Secretary has seen sense and agreed that increased co-operation between local forces is a better and more democratic solution than creating giant “super forces” covering large swathes of the country. Our local police should be… local! I continue to campaign for a public inquiry on the Buncefield fire. I fail to see how a secret inquiry carried out by the Health and Safety Executive – the very body responsible for ensuring health and safety at the site in the first place – can generate confidence amongst local businesses and residents… During the Parliamentary recess, I look forward to visiting a wide range of local organisations, as well as taking a short holiday with my wife and family! I hope you are able to take a break as well and wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday.
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