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Camden News - by TOM FOOT
Published: 20 November 2008

Dr Denise Bavin

Campaigners’ victory in fight against a polyclinic

Health chiefs scrap plans for super-sized clinic in hospital wing

CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating victory after health chiefs admitted plans to open a polyclinic inside University College London Hospital were dead in the water.
The Camden Primary Care Trust (PCT) released a statement confirming talks over a proposed super-sized clinic had been scrapped last Wednesday night – as was revealed first in the New Journal the following day.
The scheme would have seen GP surgeries in the area bundled together inside the hospital grounds in Bloomsbury.
Dr Denise Bavin, a partner at the Museum Practice, which was threatened with closure under the polyclinic plan, said: “At last, common sense has prevailed. I am very pleased and so are the patients. It was the patients that told me about it first – they read it in the Camden New Journal.”
The PCT originally planned to move GPs from four practices in Bloomsbury into a floor of the £70million Elizabeth Garrett Anderson wing of the main hospital in Euston Road.
Patients launched a major campaign fearing the elderly would have further distances to travel to see their GP and that private sector companies would end up running the service.
The New Journal revealed in June that the PCT had held secret talks with bosses of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Healthcare firm about running the unit.
Candy Udwin, chairwoman of the Keep Camden GPs in the NHS, said: “This is a significant retreat on their plans to either move existing GPs or provide other GP services at UCLH which might have been put out to private tender.
“Our campaign has shown the strength of feeling opposing these proposals and has helped the PCT see sense.
“Now that the PCT is not spending millions on a polyclinic, why don’t they spend it on improving its existing surgeries?”
Despite axing the plans, the PCT is determined to shake-up primary care in the south of Camden. In a statement released to the New Journal a spokeswoman revealed talks were underway about opening a so-called Urgent Care Centre (UCC) in the main hospital building.
The centre, which would treat patients coming into hospital with minor ailments, would be staffed by a small number of GPs working alongside UCLH’s accident and emergency department.
Doctors fear the centre will steer patients away from local practices.
Dr Steve Amiel, representing doctors as chairman of the Camden and Islington Londonwide Medical Committees lobby group, said: “There is a power struggle between the UCLH and the PCT about who should run these types of services.
“It is a dispute about controlling patient flow, and ultimately the income.”
Dr Bavin said: “I think it is very important that the UCC is run as a GP-led service, and not by the hospital or a private company.”
She said doctors from surgeries across south Camden were due to meet to discuss the new proposals.

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