Issue - meetings

The Chairman invited to the table:

• Dr. Shaw, Chief Executive of Barnet Hospital
• Lisa Robbins, Manager, Healthwatch Barnet

The Chairman noted that the Committee had been sent the following information relating to parking by the Royal Free since the publication of the agenda.  However, the Chairman pointed out that the information provided stated that 9 spaces were out of use due to the portacabins but that the figure should be 20. 

The Chairman informed the Committee that 200 extra parking spaces had been added in 2012 to accommodate extra patients when Chase Farm Hospital’s A&E and Maternity Units closed.  However, the current parking problem had arisen because the Hospital had blocked off approximately a quarter of the Patient/Visitor Car Park and re-designated it as a Staff Car Park.

The Chairman reported that she had attended a site meeting with Andrew Panniker, Director of Capital and Estates at the Royal Free, together with Councillor Zinken and Councillor Stock to see where additional spaces could be added.  She noted that there were various strips of grass which would be suitable and that she had spoken to a Planning Officer at Barnet Council who had advised that he did not think there would be a problem in submitting a Planning Application for this.  The same applied to converting one of the cycle lanes to be used for parking.  The Chairman noted that Mr. Panniker had cancelled a further meeting to discuss the issue.  Dr. Shaw apologised for this and undertook to look into the matter. 

The Chairman advised that Healthwatch Barnet were receiving many complaints from people unable to park at the site and had therefore undertaken a study on the matter.  This showed that 53% of people who had driven to the hospital on that particular day had experienced problems with parking. 

The Committee noted that the Chairman had previously contacted the Head of Planning at Barnet, who had looked into the planning history of the site and advised that the Portacabin spaces should have been returned to Patient/Visitor parking when the building works were completed.  Dr. Shaw informed the Committee that architects and planning colleagues were working with the London Borough of Barnet in order to free up the portacabin area.    Dr. Shaw advised that there were currently essential staff working in the portacabins who needed to be moved. The Committee noted that space at the Barnet Hospital site was very constrained and that a new entrance just for ambulances was opened last year.  Dr. Shaw undertook to investigate the situation with regards to the portacabins and provide further information to the Committee.

The Chairman informed the Committee that when she had visited the hospital  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9