Watford Health Campus fears 'tired, old rumours' say Conservatives (From Watford Observer)

Watford Health Campus fears 'tired, old rumours' say Conservatives

12:13pm Thursday 11th February 2010 in

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Fears that the Watford Health Campus project could be under threat if the Conservatives win the next election have been dismissed as “tired, old rumours”.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham visited Watford General Hospital, in Vicarage Road, to officially open the £12 million acute admissions unit.

And he said reopening the debate about where a new hospital to serve west Hertfordshire should be built would be a “backward step”.

Mr Burnham was responding to comments from Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning, a shadow health minister, that the Tories would launch an independent review of acute health services across the country should they gain power this year.

However, Richard Harrington, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, said that if David Cameron becomes the next Prime Minister, Watford General Hospital will be in the “safest possible hands”.

Mr Harrington said: “Andrew Lansley, our shadow health chief, is set to replace Mr Burnham if the country chooses to kick Gordon Brown out of Number 10 at the next election. Andrew supports the hospital and the health campus plans and has said so.

“I also back the health campus plans along with my fellow Conservatives in Watford. To suggest otherwise is deceitful.

“It saddens me that Gordon Brown’s health minister has to resort to peddling bald-faced lies in order to try and scare people.”