Too early for health centre supporters to toast victory

Published 10 September, 2010

• HOPEFULLY, by this fourth time round, Tribune readers will have learned to be sceptical when the paper announces “Victory!” yet again in relation to Finsbury Health Centre (Saved! Health centre set to remain open, September 3).

There is still the small matter of getting the primary care trust’s co-operation, forced or otherwise.

Whether ultimately abolished or merely replaced, the trust will exist for at least another two years, and it still runs the primary care services people hold so dear at Finsbury Health Centre.

Without its co-operation, not much more can be done besides strengthening our case.

What actually happened last Thursday was that councillors agreed to spend time gathering more information this month before finally referring this issue back to the Department of Health at their next meeting on October 12.

If the matter is referred, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said, when asked, that he will put the matter to investigation by an independent panel, but he also has the power to make a decision without its advice.

Despite having plans for a new health centre in south Islington anyway, and the potential savings proposed by Islington Council’s report, the primary care trust remains intransigent.

While last Thursday it was very encouraging to hear councillors count our victories in relation to Finsbury Health Centre (still open, with a well-researched council report supporting refurbishment, support from all political parties, the primary care trust finally forced by English Heritage to at least do repairs), we’re not breaking out the champagne quite yet.

And the Campaign to Save Finsbury Health Centre certainly has not “ended”. For further details about our public meeting, “What future FHC? What future NHS?” at 7.30pm on Thursday, September 30, at Holy Redeemer Church Hall, in Exmouth Market, contact 020 7833 1395 or www.savefhc.org.uk

The Tribune did much good in highlighting the potential closure of Finsbury Health Centre two years ago, with articles which spurred our campaign into existence.

Although we have come a long way, please stop announcing victory until all concerned parties are working together on this issue. Then I’ll wear that party dress I’ve got lined up!

BARB JACOBSON
Campaign to Save Finsbury Health Centre

• THE good news is that “Finsbury Health Centre is saved”, the bad news is the way in which the building has been neglected and the likely absence of funding to restore it.

This cut-and-cut-again government is in the process of taking Camidoc away from a non-profit-making group of Camden/Islington GP practices and handing it over to a private company. I believe there are plans to abolish NHS Direct.

No social service is safe in the hands of the Con-Dems.

This is a government which has scrapped a large house-building plan as well as the work being done to renew so many of our schools.

Holloway School was lucky to have escaped in time.

Islington citizens must start organising the fight back against such a regressive government.

They can start with supporting the Save the Whittington campaign.

ANNETTE THOMAS
Islington Pensioners’ Forum

• THE wrong figures for the 2007/08-2008/09 increase in the salary of Islington’s primary care trust chief executive were given in the Forum article (Loss of health centre would end an era, August 27).

The chief executive’s salary in fact rose 40 per cent, from £100,000 to £140,000, climbing a further 10 per cent in financial year 2009/10 – a rise of 50 per cent over two years – giving a wage of £150,000.

Now, without a hint of irony, Islington Council Labour leader Catherine West’s policy assistant will not only jump four pay grades – from £35,000 to nearly £45,000, an increase of almost one-third – under an administration hosting a Fairness Commission looking into ways of narrowing the gap between Islington’s rich elite and its majority.

He’ll also “prepare speculative papers which can generate long-term thinking and contribute to the strategic thinking of the council”.

One could be forgiven for concluding that formulating policy is not the role of elected, publicly funded councillors and the ability to think “long-term” not part of the human condition.

MEG HOWARTH
Ellington Street, N7