Health Centres & Hospitals
The main hospitals in our area are run by West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust. There are three hospitals:
Watford General Hospital
Vicarage Road, Watford, WD18 0HB
Telephone: 01923 244366
This is the main hospital. It has an accident and emergency department as well as specialist facilities such as intensive care and a stroke unit. It also provides planned surgical care for higher risk patients together with a full range of outpatient and diagnostic services. The hospital also provides women’s and children’s services including maternity and neonatal care. There are approximately 600 beds and nine operating theatres.
St Albans City Hospital
Waverley Road, St Albans, AL3 5PN
Telephone: 01727 866122
This is a dedicated centre for elective surgery for low risk and day patients with supporting outpatient and diagnostic services. It also has a breast care unit. The hospital has 40 beds, six operating theatres and a Minor Injuries Unit. Note: the MIU is temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hemel Hempstead Hospital
Hillfield Road, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4AD
Telephone: 01442 213141
Hemel Hempstead Hospital offers a range of local healthcare facilities such as diagnostic services, including MRI and pathology, as well as an outpatient service. There are 12 stroke rehabilitation beds and Hertfordshire Community Trust also operates intermediate care beds on site. There is also an urgent care centre (open from 8am to 10pm) and a GP extended access hub on the site.
For more information about these hospitals, including travelling and parking information, go to the West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust website.
Where do I go for urgent or emergency care?
In west Hertfordshire there are a number of services to help you if you or your family have a sudden serious health problem or an accident and need help or care fast.
Where you go depends on whether or not you have an issue that is life-threatening
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Emergency – call 999 |
Urgent – visit www.111.nhs.uk or call 111 |
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Risk to life or limb |
Immediate attention but no threat to life or limb |
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Urgent care
If you urgently need medical help or advice but it's not a life-threatening situation there are a range of services you can use.
- NHS111 - visit www.111.nhs.uk or call 111 , the free non-emergency service, 24 hours a day, every day. This service will give you advice or direct you to the best local service to treat you.
- Local pharmacists offer free, confidential health advice and can give you the medicines or creams you need to treat yourself at home for many common illnesses or complaints
- Call your GP about non-emergency illnesses which you can’t treat yourself
- Outside of surgery hours you can get help from an out-of-hours GP by calling 111 or calling your GP surgery number and being redirected to the out-of-hours service. This operates from 6.30pm to 8am on weekdays, and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.
- Walk-in centres such as the Urgent Treatment Centre at Hemel Hempstead Hospital or the Minor Injuries Unit at St Albans Hospital (note: the MIU is temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic)