The future healthcare arrangements for south west Hertfordshire may not be finalised until the end of the year, new documents have revealed.

The Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group is reviewing what services are needed across south west Hertfordshire.

But the trust has admitted - in response to a Freedom of Information Request by the Watford Observer - that they may not have decided on the future arrangements for Watford General Hospital until the end of the year.

More details of the plans for the hospital were expected to emerge earlier this year.

But the latest development will come as a blow to those who want to know how the hospital will cope with growing demand.

Both Watford’s Elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill and South West Hertfordshire MP David Gauke believe the main hospital should be kept in Watford, citing the investment into transport infrastructure as the main reason.

The Dacorum Patients’ Group have unveiled plans for a new super hospital that would serve Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans, based between the three areas.

The Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Towards the end of 2015, three options for improving acute hospital provisions were identified as being taken forward for further consideration.

“Since then we have had further discussions with local patient representatives and their proposals are also being explored.

“There will now be some detailed work so that by the end of this year, we expect to have a final strategic outline case that sets out the plans to be taken forward.”