Agenda item

The Panel will hear evidence from the following patient groups:

• Maureen Dewar, Haringey PCT Public & Patient Involvement Forum

Maureen Dewaar, Haringey PCT PPI Forum  

·        There has been good working relationship between the PCT and the PPI Forum thus far in developing the consultation for the Primary Care Strategy.  The PCT have involved the PPI Forum in events and lead officers have attended PPI Forum meetings.

·        Consultation works best when this is based in the community and when it is allowed to work its way upwards, rather than top down consultative approaches. 

·        More detail or guidance is needed from the PCT as to how local services will be affected, in particular, those General Practices which may be affected in the reorganisation.

·        Further details are also required on what services are to be provided from super health centres and will this be the same for all those located across the borough.

·        Further information is required from the PCT as to how comments received within the consultation are used to influence the finalised plans for primary care.  Similarly, further information is required as to how the Primary Care Strategy will relate to future London wide NHS developments (A Framework for Action).

·        The PPI Forum will be holding a public consultation on the Primary Care Strategy on the 11^th September 2007.  This meeting will be held at Chestnuts Community Centre in St Ann’s Road and all are welcome.  Discussions and findings from this meeting will be presented to the PCT.

A copy of the presentation given by the PPI Forum is attached for information.

Christina Gradowski, Haringey PCT

Christina Gradowski, Director of Corporate Services and Partnerships at Haringey PCT responded to number of issues which had been raised:

·        The PCT is encouraging communities and organisations to become involved within the consultation process. A full programme of events has been published to notify where local people can get involved.  The PCT is also open to further suggestions as to where and when consultations may take place.

·        All events are listed on the Haringey PCT website (www.haringey.nhs.uk).

·        Patients and public alike were encouraged to complete and return consultation questionnaire.

·        A full equalities impact assessment day will be held on 5^th October 2007 at the Haringey  Irish Community Cultural Centre, Pretoria Road, Tottenham N17 8DX

The Panel raised the following issues in response to the evidence received from all witnesses:

1. There is a need for the PCT to provide further clarification as to how the Primary Care Strategy will redress health inequalities within Haringey.

2. There is a need for the PCT to provide further clarification as to how those areas in Haringey that are currently ‘under-doctored’ will benefit from proposals set out in the strategy (i.e. how will the strategy encourage GPs and Nurses to work in north east Haringey).

3. Whilst the concept of the super health centre/ polyclinic is a model which people may positively engage, there was a need to demonstrate how these facilities will address health needs and reduce health inequalities.

4. There was concern that current plans for the location of super health centres (Lordship Lane & North Middlesex Hospital) did not represent additional service provision to help redress health inequalities in north east Haringey.

5. There was a fundamental need for more detail to support the strategy particularly around the nature and level of services provided within proposed super health centres.

6. Further clarification may be necessary from NHS London concerning the consultation process for the London NHS Strategy (A Framework for Action) and possible implications that this may have locally.

7. The Panel would like more information about what other PCTs are doing in respect of primary care development and the NHS London review (Darzi).

8. How will GPs be encouraged to work in super health centres?