HUNDREDS of people got the chance to speak to health chiefs as the first glimpses of what the new QE2 Hospital might look like went on show.

NHS Hertfordshire staged a mini roadshow to give Welwyn Hatfield residents a chance to view and comment on its plans for the site in Howlands, WGC.

A new hospital – which is now set to include a ‘local A&E’ department – will replace the QE2 as we know it, with major services being centralised at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

The exhibition was on show on Tuesday and Wednesday last week at the hospital, before moving to the Asda supermarket in Hatfield on Thursday, and the Howard Centre in WGC on Friday.

A spokesman for NHS Hertfordshire said: “It was great to see so many people interested in the plans for the potential layout of the QE2 site and where the new QE2 will be.

“We spoke to close on 1,000 people over the four days and we were pleased to see so many Hertfordshire residents and to be able to listen to their views.”

“During the course of our conversations we had the opportunity to talk through what local A&E means and to be able to explain that the vast majority of current users of the A&E service will be able to use the new QE2 local A&E.”

The spokesman added: “Other issues that Hertfordshire residents were pleased to find out about were outpatients and other services that will be available on the site.”

A formal planning application is expected to be submitted in the new year.