Issue - meetings

To receive evidence from NHS Haringey, other stakeholders involved in the Centre and community and resident associations on issues related to the Laurels and services that are provided from there.

David Lyons and Cayleigh Field from NHS Haringey reported that the Laurels had been developed as a healthy living centre in 2004.  Community involvement had been an integral part of the model that was created.  The Centre provided a range of services, including GP surgeries and community health services, as well as health and social care services provided by the voluntary sector. 

All PCTs had been required to procure a GP led health centre, with extended opening hours by 1 April 2009 and it was considered that the Laurels provide a suitable location for this.  NHS Haringey undertook a procurement process and Laurels Health Services, a consortium between a local GP and Camidoc, was successful.  The contract was terminated in August this year due to financial issues affecting Camidoc.  

In the meantime, £250,000 had been made available to provide additional clinical space at the Laurels and improve the environment.  This included space for the proposed pharmacy.   To begin this process, NHS Haringey's LIFT partner was instructed to undertake works to improve the reception area and provide increased space for administration.  However, NHS Haringey failed to obtain the necessary agreements for the works due to a misunderstanding of the lease.  It was thought that these works did not need permission as they were not structural in nature.  However, this had turned out to be an incorrect interpretation of the lease.  Work had been stopped after the Council's Property Service intervened and no work had taken place since 13 May.  £20,000 had been incurred by NHS Haringey so far in legal costs.  Temporary reception arrangements had needed to be set up.  The current state of the building had impacted adversely on both patients and staff. 

The Centre would need further development to provide additional clinical space and accommodate the pharmacy proposed by the Bridge Renewal Trust. There were also performance and access issues relating to both GP practices. 

The Panel expressed its concern at conditions observed during a recent visit to the Centre.  The premises had smelt unpleasant, the ticketing machine was not operating properly all of the time, the light in the toilet was broken, there was litter on the floor and the décor was in a poor condition.  There were also many out of date notices displayed.  Concern was also expressed that the issue of the lease had taken so long to resolve. 

NHS Haringey expressed disappointment at the conditions that had been observed.  It had been a challenging time for both patients and staff.  Cleaning had been a continual problem.  The contract specification had recently been improved and a new provider appointed.  The new contractor was currently being monitored.  There was nothing in the works that had been stopped that were structural in nature.  The lease document had proven to be ambiguous.  One of the reasons for the delay in resolving matters was the number of different bodies involved, which included Circle 33, the PCT and the Council.  NHS Haringey had taken the decision that they would pay for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5