RESIDENTS who want to help shape the future of hospital services across Hertfordshire are likely to win a three-month reprieve to find out more and register their vote.

The consultation Investing in Your Health, which offers two very different blueprints of how our health facilities would operate, was due to end next month.

But this deadline is to be extended to September pending approval by Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Strategic Health Authority as north London health bosses open a consultation into the possibility of adopting Mount Vernon Cancer Centre.

The extension is so both consultations will run concurrently. Hundreds of campaigners were angry that both options in Investing in Your Health assumed Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, which is currently operated as a Hertfordshire service, would close.

They gathered thousands of signatures in a petition opposing the move.

Option Two would mean building a new cancer centre as part of a new hospital in Hatfield, to replace the QEII in Welwyn Garden City .

Watford General would keep its emergency services, while Hemel Hempstead Hospital and The Lister in Stevenage would focus on planned surgery.

Option One would see Hemel Hempstead redeveloped to include a cancer centre.

The QEII and Watford General would lose emergency services.

A new hospital in Hatfield could be linked to the University of Hertfordshire to provide research and training opportunities.

Taking away planned surgery and transferring low-risk patients would ease pressure on emergency services and free up beds. This newspaper's campaign for Option Two has received overwhelming support. More than 400 campaign coupons have been submitted about two-thirds the number of official votes received by the health authority.

For more information about the Option Two campaign you can log on to <http://www.stalbansobserver.co.uk/two>.