AS health chiefs showed off their plans to rebuild the QEII hospital last week, a protestor outside Hatfield's Asda supermarket presented a contrary view.

Tony Wickenden of the Keep The NHS Public campaign argues that the rebuilding of the QEII in Welwyn Garden City, the subject of an imminent planning application, will be bad for patient care.

All 273 acute care beds at the QEII are to be relocated to Stevenage's Lister hospital, while the New QEII , as it will be known, will have beds only for only "intermediate care".

Mr Wickenden said: "Intermediate beds are not acute beds. They are for patients in recuperation. Hertfordshire has only about 2.4 acute care beds per 1,000 people. The national average is 4.2 beds per 1,000."

NHS Hertfordshire spokeswoman Rose Child said: "The reorganisation of hospital services at the Lister and QEII provides a means of bringing the health care system in Hertfordshire up to date, and improving the way in which health care is delivered to all patients.

"Focussing such care in fewer places makes it easier to recruit high quality staff, and helps those staff keep their specialist skills in regular practice and up to date. 

"This means that beds for major surgery - acute beds - will be provided at the Lister Hospital rather than at the New QEII."