The last few years have been all about taking back control, but it appears our local health service provision remains in the control of the few who do not want change. In its latest board papers Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group, who annually control over £856 million of health service funding for West Hertfordshire, have decided to retain all its existing board members even though four GP board members and one lay member were either due to leave the board or seek re-election this year. The public had no say on this decision.

It is this board that led the CCG into expensive court battles over the axing of social care payments to HCC, closure of Nascot Lawn (adding greater expense to Hertfordshire taxpayers) and will soon have to defend a Judicial Review of the decision to patch up a hospital at the Vicarage Road site rather than build a new hospital to serve West Hertfordshire. At the last board meeting a member of the Board was quoted as saying ‘we (the CCG) are awash with money’ but still the health service in Hertfordshire doesn’t improve but its own management costs have increased. Surely it is time for a shake-up of the board to encourage new ideas and independent thinking to help shape improvements to Hertfordshire’s health services.

Gary Murphy

Leggatts Way, Watford