THE planned closure of a ward for coronary care confirms which hospital has won the battle to retain its A&E department. That is the feeling of doctors and nurses at the QEII as plans to close their 26- bed Cuffley ward and centralise inpatient cardiology

THE planned closure of a ward for coronary care confirms which hospital has won the battle to retain its A&E department.

That is the feeling of doctors and nurses at the QEII as plans to close their 26- bed Cuffley ward and centralise inpatient cardiology services at Lister are announced by bosses at the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

And Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps agreed saying: "It's just another nail in the coffin for the QEII."

Anne Wells, staff side chairman for the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, said: "The QEII will go. That's the general feeling of the staff on the floor.

"We can begin to see that they are downgrading the QEII bit by bit and I have never been so lost as a trade unionist.

"Morale has never been so low. There has been a lot of bad feeling and striking is something staff are all considering."

She added: "Whatever way it goes, the other hospital is going to suffer.

"It's going to have a huge impact on patient care and staff morale.

"Staff are really frightened about what's going to happen to their patients.

"The people of Hertfordshire deserve more than what they are going to get."

Health chiefs will make the recommendation to downgrade A&E services at either Lister or the QEII at the end of the month.

Their recommendation will then form the basis of a public consultation which will last for 13 weeks.