West Hertfordshire Trust

West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust developed a Strategic Outline Case in 2016-17 for redevelopment of the existing site at Watford to provide a new acute hospital. Regulators confirmed the case for change, but advised the capital investment was too much. In early 2019 Murphy Philipps were approached by the Trust to carry out a refresh of that SOC with a view to securing approximately £350m investment funding.

The majority of the estate is in a poor or worse condition, with 40% of the buildings over 40 years old. An estimated £189m is required for backlog maintenance. Clinical adjacencies are poor across the site, impacting significantly on efficiency & patient experience. Theatres are non-compliant for size, there is no adult/child segregation and there is a less than 10% single room provision. The trust has also cited several significant risks to business continuity in the preceding 12 months, including failed lifts and generators.

The primary aims or the SOC refresh were to

• Provide fit for purpose buildings from which modern healthcare can be provided
• Improve clinical sustainability
• Achieve long term financial stability

Four options were prepared with a comparison do nothing option. The preferred option offers two key benefits over the other options as it maximises the investment opportunity on the site, and also can be carried out in the quickest timescale.