West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

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West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust NHS Trust managing Watford General, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans City Hospitals. Our vision is 'Excellent patient care, together'.

View our social media house rules - https://bit.ly/social-house-rules West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute healthcare services to a core catchment population of approximately half a million people living in west Hertfordshire and the surrounding area. The Trust also provides a range of more specialist services to a wider population, serving residents of North London, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and East Hertfordshire. As an employer of over 5,000 people, the Trust is one of the biggest employers in the area and sees nearly a million patients each year.

*This page contains information for both staff and users of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and anyone with an interest in healthcare.

*This is not a referral system. If you have a health-related problem or concern, please contact your GP.

*If you have questions regarding appointments or a patient in our hospitals, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). You can find contact information here: https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/patientservices/pals.asp

10,000 babies. One remarkable midwife💙 Midwife Faith Meaney has reached an incredible milestone - she's completed her 10...
21/10/2026

10,000 babies. One remarkable midwife💙

Midwife Faith Meaney has reached an incredible milestone - she's completed her 10,000th newborn exam, helping to identify conditions in infants so they care receive the specialist care they may need as early as possible.

To celebrate, she bought an elephant teddy and card for Luca, baby number 10,000.

What makes this achievement even more special is that Faith has carefully recorded every newborn exam she has carried out throughout her career in a series of handwritten notebooks, meaning she knew exactly when she would reach this moment.

Faith said: ‘10,000 examinations later, and I still feel incredibly privileged. Every single family allows me into their world, and the joy of keeping their babies safe never fades.’

The Newborn and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) is part of the NHS newborn screening programme and is carried out before a baby is 72 hours old. The examination helps identify conditions: congenital cataracts and congenital heart disease.

Congratulations, Faith, and thank you for the expertise, care and reassurance you've provided to thousands of babies and families across west Hertfordshire.

16/10/2026

Watch Kayleigh speak about how her mum saved her life by encouraging her to be breast aware as a teenager using just a tea towel and a frozen pea 🩷

At just 29 years old, Kayleigh never imagined she could have breast cancer. But what her mum taught her meant see got checked.

Kayleigh emphasises how understanding the importance of how knowing your normal could help you detect breast cancer.

16/10/2026

Healthcare in West Hertfordshire is being redesigned to create a more modern, coordinated system. With rising demand, ageing buildings and fragmented services, patients often reach a crisis point before receiving the right help.

In this short video, Jeremy Keeley from South Hill Centre and Mark Hanna from Age UK Hertfordshire speak about ‘Neighbourhood Health’, and what this means for the people and communities in Dacorum.

Neighbourhood health is especially important in south and west Hertfordshire, where more than 100,000 people live with frailty. As people age, they often need support from multiple services at once.

Neighbourhood health brings these services together, helping prevent sudden deterioration of health and avoid unnecessary hospital visits. This group represents around 10% of the population but accounts for up to 80% of hospital visits.

You can read the full article, where clinicians explain these changes, the challenges and opportunities in West Hertfordshire, and what this means for patients: https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/about-us/news/neighbourhood-health

Community Action Dacorum, Age UK Hertfordshire, One Vision, South Hill Centre, Dacorum Borough Council, David Taylor MP

As part of A&E Appreciation Week, Emergency Department colleagues were treated to coffee and cakes to celebrate everythi...
15/10/2026

As part of A&E Appreciation Week, Emergency Department colleagues were treated to coffee and cakes to celebrate everything they do for our patients and to celebrate their incredible achievements over the last 12 months 💙

Our ED teams have contributed to eliminating corridor care in A&E, moving from crowded corridors seven days a week to no cases in recent months, all while continuing to care for patients through record demand.

Thank you to the volunteers from the Rapid Relief Team who visited Watford General Hospital to recognise our fantastic colleagues.

“She’s always been a happy kid, but now she’s happy and confident.” Meet Freya - one of our young patients whose early ...
14/10/2026

“She’s always been a happy kid, but now she’s happy and confident.”

Meet Freya - one of our young patients whose early eye care has helped her thrive and become a bubbly child who loves life.

After her mum noticed that noticed that one of her eyes was misaligned, and appeared to be turning inwards, Freya was referred to our Orthoptics team at Watford General Hospital. Treatment with glasses and eye patches improved her sight, learning as well as her confidence.

Freya’s mum said: “It’s not just that she can see smaller letters on a chart, it’s the fact that she is able to do more at school. She’s always been a happy kid, but now she’s happy and confident.”

A huge thank you to Sunira Patel and our wider Orthoptics team for the specialist, compassionate care they provide to children and families across West Herts.

Freya’s story recognised the importance of early detection of eye problems in children. If you have concerns about your child’s vision, please contact your Health Visitor, GP or local Optician.

12/10/2026

“I will never forget the kindness Paula showed us” 💙

Watch the emotional moment midwife Paula-Jane Lewis became the first colleague at West Herts to receive a DAISY Award, recognising the extraordinary compassion she showed a patient and her family during one of the most difficult times of their lives.

Paula was nominated for the exceptional kindness and support she showed to her and her family when Alex went into premature labour and sadly lost their son, William earlier this year.

During an emotional ceremony, Paula was described as an “absolute hero”, with Alex saying: “I wanted to make sure I shared our appreciation for the incredible midwife during the most difficult experience of our lives.”

The DAISY Awards celebrate nurses and midwives who go above and beyond to make a difference to patients and their families.

A huge congratulations to Paula on this very special and well-deserved recognition.

Have you received exceptional care from midwife or nurse? Please consider nominating them for a DAISY Award: https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/nominate-nurse-or-midwife-daisy-award?fbclid=IwY2xjawU5nFJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mAWJyaWQRMU5NQ0ZTV241NUFlMEduMGFzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeNJwvysTrCym4xhEfbEbEmsG3rNd-HvPgmLwA7ykRm-8T-FPzcDt3vwK7Ndg_aem_pQflsXZARGEJvzMFyCT43A

Huge congratulations to our Watford General Hospital chefs Tommy and Dawn who have been crowned NHS Chef of the Year 202...
09/10/2026

Huge congratulations to our Watford General Hospital chefs Tommy and Dawn who have been crowned NHS Chef of the Year 2026! 🏆

The pair impressed judges during a four-day national final in Birmingham, creating an exceptional three-course menu on a £6 to £8 budget.

Their standout dessert featured turmeric-poached pear, baked yoghurt, warm ginger cake, cinnamon crumb, pear reduction and pear crisp.

Tommy and Dawn’s achievement showcases the creativity, skill and dedication and the vital role they play in providing nutritious, enjoyable food.

Well done Dawn and Tommy! 👏

One of our paw-some therapy dogs (affectionally known as ‘Dr Bailey’) prescribed plenty of smiles during a special visit...
09/10/2026

One of our paw-some therapy dogs (affectionally known as ‘Dr Bailey’) prescribed plenty of smiles during a special visit to our children’s wards for Play in Healthcare Week 💙

From babies and toddlers to teenagers, and even our staff, everyone was delighted to see her wagging tail!

Bailey offered a welcome distraction as she completed her very own ward rounds, bringing cuddles and smiles along the way 🐶

She was just one of our therapy dogs who visited our youngest patients throughout Play in Healthcare Week 🐾

07/10/2026

Over the past year, thousands of colleagues from every part of our organisation have worked together to improve care and support our patients through challenging times 💙

This short video brings together some of the moments, milestones and developments that shaped the last 12 months.

It was first shown at our annual Stars of Herts Awards, where we recognised teams and individuals who make a positive difference every day.

The video reflects what can be achieved when people across West Herts pull together with a shared purpose - delivering safe, compassionate care and supporting one another along the way.

We’re so proud of our staff and truly grateful for the support of our communities. We look forward to building on this progress in the year ahead.

West Herts Hospitals Charity, Watford Palace Theatre, Watford FC, Gagan Mohindra, Mattie Po***ck, Anna Filbey, Matt Turmaine, Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss, Peter Taylor - Mayor of Watford, John Darin

02/10/2026

Healthcare in West Hertfordshire is being redesigned to create a more modern, coordinated system. With rising demand, ageing buildings and fragmented services, patients often reach a crisis point before receiving the right help.

In this short video, Enoch Kanagaraj from One Vision and Simon Aulton from Community Action Dacorum (CAD) speak about ‘Neighbourhood Health’, and what this means for the people and communities in Dacorum.
Neighbourhood health is especially important in south and west Hertfordshire, where more than 100,000 people live with frailty. As people age, they often need support from multiple services at once. Neighbourhood health brings these services together, helping prevent sudden deterioration of health and avoid unnecessary hospital visits. This group represents around 10% of the population but accounts for up to 80% of hospital visits.

You can read the full article, where clinicians explain these changes, the challenges and opportunities in West Hertfordshire, and what this means for patients: https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/about-us/news/neighbourhood-health

Community Action Dacorum, Age UK Hertfordshire, One Vision, South Hill Centre, Dacorum Borough Council, David Taylor MP

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