COUNCILLORS from across St Albans rallied to condemn West Herts Partnership Trust over its shock decision to transfer maternity services from Hemel Hempstead Hospital.

A meeting of the full council on Wednesday, March 27, saw members of all three political groups launch a blistering attack on the trust's directors who they accused of lying to the residents of St Albans.

Councillor Robert Donald, portfolio holder for health, spoke of the "sense of betrayal and bewilderment" felt by mothers across the district in the wake of the trust's shock decision to relocate its Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) and in-patient maternity services to Watford General Hospital.

He said: "I feel anger. We seem to be where we were six months ago.

"Were the trust's negotiations with Lord Hunt simply political window dressing? Somebody somewhere is not quite telling the truth."

Meanwhile, Labour group leader Malcolm MacMillan blamed the trust's staff shortages on the uncertainty surrounding the SCBU at Hemel Hempstead, saying: "We need to get rid of the rubbish at top management.

"Hertfordshire Partnership Trust have treated the people of this district and this council with utter contempt.

"So much damage has been done to recruitment for SCBU and other services that can be traced back to the partnership trust, it's no wonder they are short of staff."

But while councillors vowed to fight against the temporary transfer and set up a working group to tackle the issue, others claimed that a radical change in the way SCBU and maternity services are run was the only way to safeguard the long-term future of Hemel's maternity services.

Councillor Roma Mills said: "It doesn't make practical sense for one trust West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust to deliver maternity services and another Hertfordshire Partnership Trust to deliver SCBU. We want to work with people who can manage this and I've not met them yet."

Recalling the petition signed by more than 52,000 local people, she added: "We sent a powerful message to the trust and it got ignored.

"There's no will in the partnership trust to retain maternity services at Hemel Hempstead Hospital."

However, Councillor Daly warned that the u-turn was symptomatic of wider problems within the health service and said: "This is more to do with poor management than it is to do with money.

"It's bigger than just a SCBU and maternity service issue it's part of a concerted attempt to move services away from Hemel Hempstead to Watford Hospital."

In an attempt to quell members' palpable anger, Councillors Donald, Daly and MacMillan agreed to set up a working group with the express aim of getting maternity services returned to Hemel Hempstead.

Councillor Donald said the group would urge the new health minister Yvette Cooper to release the findings of the independent review which have, until now remained hidden from the public domain.

The working group will also seek an urgent meeting with Hertfordshire Partnership Trust, West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust, the Primary Care Trust (PCT) and local MPs to explore the action taken between the conclusion of the review and last week's u-turn, as well as looking at the long term strategy for returning services to Hemel permanently.

Councillor Donald spoke of the need for the members of the council to work with the PCT to bring back maternity services

But he warned: "Both trusts have not served our residents well and we have no confidence in either."

April 9, 2002 12:00