All emergency treatment in west Hertfordshire could soon be carried out at Watford General Hospital under a cost-cutting exercise to streamline services, it was revealed this week.

In a desperate bid to claw back its spiralling £28.3 million deficit, The West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust is proposing to centralise its services and treat all emergencies at the hospital, which already serves one-third of Hertsmere residents.

At the moment, emergency treatment is carried out at all of the trust's hospitals, which include St Albans, Mount Vernon and Hemel Hempstead.

The trust's chief executive, David Law, said: "This scale of problem requires radical action.

"We would not go ahead with the reconfiguration if we did not have the facilities and infrastructure already in place at Watford.

"We know if we don't do this well, patients will choose to go elsewhere."

The trust has presented the proposals to Hertfordshire County Council's health overview and scrutiny committee and the plans will now be subject to a public consultation.

A Government report released last month revealed that the cash-strapped trust has had a historic weakness in balancing its books and its savings plans were heavily criticised for being unrealistic' and insufficiently robust'.

Since then, the trust has drawn up a financial recovery plan, which includes cutting 500 frontline jobs such as doctors, nurses and midwives.

The reconfiguration proposals are the next step in the attempt to save money.

Whichever services are withdrawn from the individual sites, Mr Law assured primary care services would remain.

"It's important to remember that because the trust is reducing the number of buildings it runs from, it does not mean that access to NHS care will be withdrawn," he added.

"The trust faces very difficult decisions but we remain clear in our aim to ensure the long term future of acute health care for the people of west Hertfordshire."

Robert Hilliard, vice-chairman of the Hertsmere patients forum, said: "I don't think the centralisation itself is a cause for concern but what is worrying is that it's being done under financial pressure, so there's a risk that corners will be cut.

"What is so important now is that the public get involved in this consultation, ask questions and listen to the answers."

The public consultation will begin on July 10 and end on October 13.