April 10, 2001 17:13: PATIENTS in south west Hertfordshire in need of oral surgery can no longer be operated on at Mount Vernon Hospital as services have been transferred to Central Middlesex Hospital in north west London.

The removal of oral surgery from Mount Vernon adds to the gradual reduction in available services at the hospital in Northwood, which has already lost its accident and emergency facility and is due to lose its burns and plastics unit by 2003. Its cancer specialist centre could also be moved elsewhere.

A spokesman for West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "The service has been moved in line with the Government's drive to centralise specialist services and improve standards and care for patients.

"Patients requiring oral surgery will continue to receive a full consultation, testing and diagnosis service at Mount Vernon prior to surgery.

"Follow up out-patient appointments will also continue to be met at Mount Vernon."

However MP for South West Hertfordshire Richard Page fears the move will help run Mount Vernon into the ground.

He said: "This is part of the unspoken plan to run Mount Vernon down and reduce the hospital as a facility.

"We have already heard from NHS Eastern Region that they plan to move the specialist cancer centre.

"They say that it could stay at Mount Vernon but it is low on their list of options and stands virtually no chance of being retained.

"This latest move of oral surgery is part of what has been going on for quite some time, of working towards this unspoken unstated agenda to run down Mount Vernon to make the land available for other things, probably housing."

Three Rivers District Councillor Nena Spellen said: "Moving the oral surgery has been done quietly and needs to be brought to the people's attention.

"Staff at the hospital are concerned that the people from Hertfordshire have to go and have their operations at Central Middlesex which is a ghastly place to get to especially for elderly patients.

"Many people do not really think about oral and maxillo facial care but it is not just teeth but covers a vast range of conditions for the mouth, lip and tongue.

"It is quite worrying and is typical of the trust which does things like this, leaving people in Hertfordshire in limbo."

The steering group set up by NHS Eastern Region to review cancer services at Mount Vernon this week reported on its second meeting which was held last month.

The report said that cancer centre facilities will be maintained at Mount Vernon for the next few years but that other options are currently being explored.

In May between 50 and 60 cancer patients will be asked for their responses and views to cancer facilities there and a transport study is to be carried out to look at travel times from other locations from local communities.

Site options include Mount Vernon, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Welwyn, Luton and Dunstable and a green or brownfield site in the St Albans area.

Watford MP Claire Ward said: "At the moment it is just a review and nothing as yet has been put forward. We have got to see what the review says.

"I am concerned there are no other viable sites for these services other than at Mount Vernon."

A final report on the future of cancer services at Mount Vernon should be completed by the summer, outlining what the steering group deems the best options.

The matter should then go out to public consultation in the autumn.

Caroline Graham