At a meeting with the Herts Valley Clinical Commissioning Group, Oliver secured a definitive commitment to the future of Potters Bar Community Hospital.

Oliver convened the meeting with the Chair of the CCG, Dr Nicholas Small, and the Director of Nursing, Diane Curbishley, following the news of closures of services at the Hospital by the Royal Free NHS Trust.

Speaking later, Oliver said: ‘Potters Bar Community Hospital is a vital asset to our community and like so many others I was deeply concerned by the news of more clinic closures.

‘I am therefore very pleased to have secured this commitment that the Hospital is integral to their plans for the future of healthcare in Hertsmere and will remain in place.

‘This is something I have been pushing for constantly in my meetings with health officials over the last year.’

Herts Valley CCG are responsible for commissioning services to provide NHS healthcare to everyone living in the Borough of Hertsmere.

Potters Bar Community Hospital is owned and managed by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust, who are then commissioned by the CCG to deliver the bulk of the services and clinics at the Hospital. It is therefore Herts Community Trust and the CCG who ultimately control the Hospital and both see it as an important part of their plans for future services.

However, other NHS trusts also use the Hospital as a venue from which to run their own clinics. One of these is the Royal Free, who in recent months have been moving clinics to their new facilities at Chase Farm Hospital.

Oliver added: ‘I want people to feel reassured that the future of the Hospital is secure. While I know how disruptive the removal of some clinics has been, this absolutely does not threaten the long-term future of the Hospital.’