Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd has spoken out against plans to reorganise healthcare across the region.

The Hertfordshire and West Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership brings together NHS and councils in a drive to run health and care services in a more co-ordinated way.

The partners are already drawing up plans for services like children and maternity, frailty and complex needs and population heath management.

A meeting of the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board heard about the ongoing work of the organisation on Tuesday.

But police and crime commissioner David Lloyd raised concerns about the geographical area covered by the STP – which covers as the whole of Hertfordshire and about a third of Essex.

He said that when they were working towards greater integration it was “madness” to take on a ‘chunk’ of Essex.

And he suggested that it was time to raise this concern with government – which, he said, would otherwise think it was perfect.

He likened the arrangement to being “like a pair of shoes that doesn’t quite fit” – even if you really want them to.

And he said that while the partners would make it work as best they could, it would always be “sub-optimal”.

He said: “What we are doing is saying we want the best, but we know it’s always going to be sub-optimal. It’s madness.”

At the meeting, board chairman Cllr Richard Roberts – who is also Hertfordshire County Council’s executive member for adult care and health – said Mr Lloyd may imagine that some of these points may have been made.

And after the meeting a spokesperson for the Hertfordshire and West Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) defended the make-up of the organisation – pointing to the use of the Princess Alexandra Hospital by Hertfordshire residents and the opportunity to share expertise.

“All of the STP geographical areas were decided nationally in 2016,” said the spokesperson.

“The Hertfordshire and West Essex STP geography reflects the close links between Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and the many thousands of residents of Hertfordshire who use its services.

“In fact, 40 per cent of the patients who use the Princess Alexandra Hospital are Hertfordshire residents.

“Working across two county council areas has provided a number of opportunities for us to share expertise and good practice from both Hertfordshire and Essex, as we work to create a healthier future for our 1.5 million residents.”