HEALTH minister Andy Burnham made a whistle-stop tour of Watford General Hospital yesterday (Thursday), to see the site of the future health campus.

Mr Burnham, MP for Leigh, was taken to the rooftop of the Princess Michael of Kent building and shown the land behind the hospital that is set to make way for the development, which will cost up to £1billion.

The regeneration of Watford General will cost between £200million and £300million.

David Law, chief executive of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said the project was "very ambitious" but described the new campus as a "state-of-the-art facility for Hertfordshire".

Mr Burnham was accompanied by Watford MP Claire Ward on his visit to the hospital, where he was also shown around several wards.

Ms Ward said: "The big issue is we just need to get on with it. We need progress. People in Watford desperately need to see something happening.."

Mr Burnham was very impressed with the campus plans but agreed that progress was key. He said: "It's great. It's definitely the way to go. People need to think there is progress. Let's give it some momentum."