| |
Why we remain sceptical about need to close down health centre
• I READ with interest the arguments for a more “cultural” view of the reasons for keeping Finsbury Health Centre open (Finsbury Centre campaign makes an appeal to history, September 25). While I can understand this argument, as chair of Islington Council’s health and wellbeing scrutiny committee, which has responsibility for reviewing the closure decision, I think it might be time to clarify the committee’s position in relation to the proposed closure.
The committee has a statutory power to call in decisions taken by the primary care trust (NHS Islington) in relation to buildings. However, when the committee referred the closure decision to the Health Minister earlier in the year, he returned the referral back to Islington for local resolution, adding that “the needs of patients and the provision of appropriate modern services… must be at the forefront of healthcare planning”.
This comment makes it clear that the committee needs to avoid getting drawn into discussions about architectural heritage and cultural merit. The committee needs to concentrate instead on a more straightforward task: to decide whether the health needs of patients and residents are better served by closing the health centre or keeping it open.
The committee has heard from construction professionals who estimate a much lower cost to refurbish the building than the one put forward by the PCT. We have heard from a group of patients who all want the centre to stay open, and for the multiple services they access to remain under one roof.
We have heard from some staff who say they would much prefer to stay, and from some who would be happy to move. We have heard from planners who are strongly opposed to the PCT abandoning the use of the building as a healthcare centre, and who say that they want to help make it as easy as possible for the PCT to refurbish and use the building, and that they would welcome an approach from the PCT to discuss this. We still have to hear evidence from English Heritage, Lord Smith of Finsbury, the PCT’s building contractor and others.
Given that to date the PCT has insisted that closure of the centre is the only option, the committee has had no choice but to adopt a sceptical position in questioning the PCT’s decision. From what we have heard so far, I am by no means convinced that closure will prove to offer the best healthcare solution for residents and patients, either in terms of location or cost.
The committee is continuing its inquiries, and is due to discuss its findings at its December meeting.
Cllr Martin Klute
Labour chair, Islington Council health and wellbeing scrutiny committee
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
| |
