Decision details

Committee to receive an update on GP Services at Finchley Memorial Hospital. 

The Chairman introduced the item which contained an update report from NHS England on the proposed relocation of two GP practices within Barnet (Squires Lane and Cornwall House) to the Finchley Memorial Hospital site.

The Chairman invited Fiona Erne, the Deputy Head of Primary Care (North Central and East London) at NHS England, to the table.

Ms. Erne advised the Committee that NHS England had been working with the two practices for the last twelve months and that the issues faced in the relocation of the GP practices on site revolved around lease negotiations.  The Committee noted that in June 2014, Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had advised that they were unable to continue with funding and that they would take the matter to a meeting of the Barnet CCG Funding Board in August 2014.

Ms Erne advised the Committee that, upon consideration of this matter, the CCG Funding Board had advised that they were unable to provide support but that they would approach the partners in order to seek a five year arrangement.  Ms. Erne informed the Committee that she believed that this idea had been rejected. 

The Committee were informed that the CCG were now looking to use the space reserved for the GP Practices for alternative primary care purposes. 

The Chairman invited Dr. Debbie Frost, the Chair of the Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group Board, to the table.  Dr. Frost advised the Committee that the CCG was looking into the possibility of locating a “health village” on the Finchley Memorial Hospital site.

A Member of the Committee expressed concern over the length of time that it was taking for decisions to be made.  The Member also expressed concern that money that was intended for patient treatment and support could be used to fund matters arising from estate management.  Dr. Frost commented that the issue had been going on for a long time but that the CCG were keen for the project to be mobilised within the next eighteen months to two years.

Responding to a question from a Member, Dr. Frost advised that the proposals surrounding the “health village” would include GPs.

In response to a question from a Member, Ms. Erne advised the Committee there had been dialogue with Community Health Partnerships, the site landlords, to advise them that they considered it unfair to apportion costs on square footage alone, as services are consumed at different rates.  Ms. Erne also noted that NHS England had been in dialogue with Community Health Partnerships about negotiating issues such as cleaning in order to reduce costs. 

The Vice Chairman suggested that the Committee receive an update on the issue from both NHS England and Barnet CCG at their meeting in March 2015. 

The Committee noted that the Clinical Commissioning Group were working on their draft objectives for the “health village” proposal. 

A Member questioned if it would be preferable to relocate a GP into the hospital and run at a reduced loss, rather than to have the site empty.  Ms. Erne advised the Committee that NHS England had been trying to negotiate that, but that the landlords wanted to have a 30 year commitment.

RESOLVED THAT:-

1.    The Committee note the update from NHS England on GP Services at Finchley Memorial Hospital;

2.    The Committee request to receive a further update from NHS England and Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group on the progress of the issue at their meeting in March 2015.