Cost-cutting measures in hospitals across south west Hertfordshire were discussed at a public meeting today.

People were invited to hear more about the £2.8m savings, which involve the closure of two wards and loss of 39 community beds at St Albans City Hospital, at a meeting in the Jubilee Centre, St Albans.

The Sopwell and Langton wards - which provide 24-hour nursing services - will shut, but ten extra beds will be created in Langley House in St Albans Road, Watford.

The cuts come after Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust, which operates adult and children’s community services at Watford General, St Albans City and Hemel Hempstead hospital, made a new contract with the Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group.

Today, trust workers talked about the closure of the wards, the extra beds in Watford and the introduction of a ‘discharge to access’ service at the hospitals.

The new service will involve discharging patients from hospital earlier and providing care at home.

They also commented on plans to recruit more healthcare assistants and the proposal to take on responsibility for a ward in Hemel Hempstead, which tries to get patients to return home as quickly as possible.

HCT chief executive David Law said: “We have a responsibility to explain to local people what is happening and why.

“I and my colleagues will also seek to reassure residents that the action we are taking will help us to manage more people back to their own homes on a timely basis and to use our remaining community beds effectively for those who need them.”

The next public meetings will be held at Holywell Community Centre in Chaffinch Lane, Watford, on March 23. The first will take place at 2pm and the evening session will start at 6pm.