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Iona Heath as ever gets to the kernel of the problem rergarding the
restructuring of the NHS. PCTs are unelected and largely unresponsive to
the population they serve and they are controlled, one might even say
bullied by the Department of Health. The indecent haste to impose
polyclinics in every PCT ignoring the perfectly good services that already
exist as in the historic Finsbury Health Centre makes a mockery of the
prinicples that Ara Darzi stated would guide the implementation of his
proposals-locally driven, clinically led and no services would be closed
until the alternatives were ready.
I attended and addressed the meeting where the PCT explained their plans
for selling this historic grade 1 listed building and rehousing the two
GPs in a new building by demolishing an existing building they do not yet
own in a conservation area where they may not get planning permission to
do this. The proposed plans for the relocation of the other services were
sketchy and probably unworkable. The many architects present and English
Heritage presented a powerful case for refurbishing the building including
one who had done the partial upgrading in the early 1990s who refuted
their contention that a lift could not be installed. It is clear that they
want to seel to a developer to make money regardless of the views of the
public they are supposed to serve.
Every doctor should find out what is happening in her or his area by
ensuring that someone attends the PCT and Overview and Scrutiny meetings
(I am sure there are retired doctors who could do this) to find out what
is planned and point out the deficiencies of the process if they are as
evident as they are in Islington. Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) sees the
underlying problem as the government's obsession with using PFI to
encourage private companies into the health field, and increasing
competision by using ISTCs and now US corporations to provide GP services.
There is no doubt that these new and often unnecessary and usually
unwanted and inappropriate polyclinics are being forced through in a
ridiculouly short time scale. They are not evidence based and need to be
resisted. We would appreciate any information about these plans which can
be sent to konpadmin@keepournhspublic.com. Do visit our website www.keepournhspublic.com and join us either as individuals or by getting
your BMA Division to affiliate. Remember that at the ARM in 2006 a motion
to support the aims and principles of KONP was passed and this support was
reaffirmed in 2008 in motion 33.
Competing interests:
Co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public
The economy is a contradictory blend of capitalism and socialism. Capitalism
individualizes, privatizes, commoditizes, and commercializes; while socialism
collectivizes, improvises, prioritizes, and civilizes.
Iona Heath & the Finsbury Health Centre
Iona Heath as ever gets to the kernel of the problem rergarding the
restructuring of the NHS. PCTs are unelected and largely unresponsive to
the population they serve and they are controlled, one might even say
bullied by the Department of Health. The indecent haste to impose
polyclinics in every PCT ignoring the perfectly good services that already
exist as in the historic Finsbury Health Centre makes a mockery of the
prinicples that Ara Darzi stated would guide the implementation of his
proposals-locally driven, clinically led and no services would be closed
until the alternatives were ready.
I attended and addressed the meeting where the PCT explained their plans
for selling this historic grade 1 listed building and rehousing the two
GPs in a new building by demolishing an existing building they do not yet
own in a conservation area where they may not get planning permission to
do this. The proposed plans for the relocation of the other services were
sketchy and probably unworkable. The many architects present and English
Heritage presented a powerful case for refurbishing the building including
one who had done the partial upgrading in the early 1990s who refuted
their contention that a lift could not be installed. It is clear that they
want to seel to a developer to make money regardless of the views of the
public they are supposed to serve.
Every doctor should find out what is happening in her or his area by
ensuring that someone attends the PCT and Overview and Scrutiny meetings
(I am sure there are retired doctors who could do this) to find out what
is planned and point out the deficiencies of the process if they are as
evident as they are in Islington. Keep Our NHS Public (KONP) sees the
underlying problem as the government's obsession with using PFI to
encourage private companies into the health field, and increasing
competision by using ISTCs and now US corporations to provide GP services.
There is no doubt that these new and often unnecessary and usually
unwanted and inappropriate polyclinics are being forced through in a
ridiculouly short time scale. They are not evidence based and need to be
resisted. We would appreciate any information about these plans which can
be sent to konpadmin@keepournhspublic.com. Do visit our website
www.keepournhspublic.com and join us either as individuals or by getting
your BMA Division to affiliate. Remember that at the ARM in 2006 a motion
to support the aims and principles of KONP was passed and this support was
reaffirmed in 2008 in motion 33.
Competing interests:
Co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public
Competing interests: No competing interests