Agenda item

To consider and comment on the latest update of the Haringey Primary Care Strategy

COVERING REPORT TO FOLLOW

The committee received a report on the latest update of the Primary Care Strategy, and were updated on developments by representatives from the Primary Care Trust.

The PCT recognised that there was still work to carry out with regard to the Strategy.  Formal consultation on the document was likely to take place in early 2009, with the desire being for the board to sign off the Strategy by the summer of that year.  The Trust remained open to further significant changes to the strategy taking place prior to the final version, and re-iterated their commitment to ensuring that high quality primary care was accessible for all residents of the borough.

In response to a query over the Council’s Lymington Avenue site, the Trust stated that although they wished to create provision in the Wood Green area, they would not yet commit to any specific site.  The PCT also agreed to provide a written response to Cllr Alexander’s enquiries over pharmacy planning.

The committee were addressed by Mr Dave Morris of the Stop Haringey Health Cuts Coalition.  Concerns were raised over the nature of the consultation by the Primary Care Trust, and the scale of GP surgery closures which the strategy’s implementation would entail.  Concerns were also raised over healthcare being more vulnerable to privatisation.  Mr Morris stated that there were enough ‘triggers’ for the committee to refer the strategy up to the Secretary of State.  The PCT agreed to provide a response to the matters raised by Mr Morris, and the committee thanked him for his contribution.

The committee were then addressed by Dr Helen Pelendries of the Evergreen House Surgery.  Dr Pelendries informed the committee of the specialist service in her practice, using multi-lingual staff to work with ethnic minority users.  Attention was drawn to the incompatibility of the currently approach with the stated pledges of the Darzi review.  She also raised concerns over the lack of consultation with GPs surgeries themselves; while clinically-driven change to the provision of NHS services was not something to be objected to in itself, she felt that the perceived lack of consultation at a local level was a matter of concern.  The committee thanked Dr Pelendries for her contribution.

The PCT acknowledged there had been shortcomings in its consultation approach, and promised to attempt to improve in the future.  They acknowledged that there was a difference between closing and relocating a surgery and insisted that they were not in the business of closing good premises. 

The Committee and Primary Care Trust agreed to work together on further consultation, with the prospect of events such as a ‘My Surgery, My Say’ day being mooted.  It was agreed that although many people felt uncomfortable with the proposed changes, referring the matter up to the Secretary of State would not be a positive course of action at a stage where the scheme was lacking detail.  The Trust agreed to co-operate with Overview & Scrutiny to engage fully with the community as the strategy continued to move forward.

RESOLVED:

1.         That the PCT provide a written response to Cllr Alexander and the committee on pharmacy planning.

2.         That the PCT provide a written response to the points in the deputation material from Dave Morris.

3.         That the committee note the contributions made at the meeting.

4.         That the committee note that many people felt uncomfortable with the proposed changes.

5.         That the committee note that more consultation was required.

6.         That proposals for further consultation be discussed between Overview & Scrutiny and the Primary Care Trust.