West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust seem to believe their proposed new hospital building plans are “shovel ready” and the Health Secretary was “easily able to see how quickly the construction phase can begin”, according to Chairman Phil Townsend (Watford Observer, April 22). Oh, really?

Have all detailed planning conditions somehow been discharged before they are known? Have all surveys and investigations been conducted, foundations, drainage, structural frame, elevations, roofing, internal layouts, environmental services been designed? Are plant rooms and service riser locations agreed? Has furniture and equipment been agreed to every room and plotted on 1:50 floor layouts and elevations to prove they fit? Have people movement studies been carried out to design lifts? Has a contractor (who has yet to be appointed) agreed a firm price offer, contract conditions and warranties? Have early contractor’s orders been placed with their sub-contractors?

You must currently be at least two years away from being in a “shovel ready” position to commence construction as all of these issues, and more, will need to be addressed to enable a contractor (who has yet to appear on the scene) to commit to a firm price offer. Unless of course the Trust has, by a miracle somehow already completed all of this work?

Trevor Williams

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