Tough decisions are needed at St Albans City Hospital

Anne Main calls for tough action to ensure that St Albans City Hospital Elective Care Centre reaches its potential.

Following a meeting with the New Chief Executive of West Herts Hospital Trust, Jan Filochowski, earlier today, Anne Main, Member of Parliament for St Albans, has called for tough action to ensure that St Albans City Hospital Elective Care Centre reaches its potential.

Anne said

"As we know, there have been real problems at with the Trust and the Elective Care Centre has had many cancelled operations. I understand from Mr Filochowski that the real problem here has been a schedule which is too ambitious, causing operations to be cancelled due to staff shortages. The facility is excellent, but without the staff it is unable to fulfill its potential.

Undoubtedly, staff have become demoralised by this situation and it is welcome that the new management seem aware of the problems. I understand that the Trust now intends to recruit more full-time staff to ensure that this excellent facility has the capacity it needs and that less operations are cancelled.

I am pleased that Mr Filochowski seems prepared to take a robust attitude to this and own up to the problems, face into them, and take the tough decisions to deal with this situation which has undoubtedly contributed to the Trust's consistently poor ratings.""