Islington News: Emily Thornbury | Finsbury Health Centre

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Islington Tribune - by TOM FOOT
Published: 17 October 2008

Campaigners outside Islington PCT offices earlier this month

MP’s fight for NHS ‘palace of the people’

Historic building faces uncertain future

EMILY Thornberry MP has told how she fell in love with the Finsbury Health Centre and will do everything in her power to save it.
The Labour MP for Finsbury and Islington South said she had spoken with Islington health chiefs, national heritage lotteries and government officials to stop the historic Grade I-listed building in Pine Street being sold to a private developer.
Islington Primary Care Trust claims it cannot afford to maintain the architectural gem, designed by Berthold Lubetkin in 1937, and has decided to sell it rather than paying £5 million for repairs.
Ms Thornberry said: “I love the centre. It is beautiful, one of the palaces of the people. It was the first public building for health and led the way for the establishment of the NHS. That is why I cannot bear the thought of it not being a health centre and why I will do everything to save it – but that, I’m afraid, is depressingly difficult.”
Because the centre, which is in a poor state of disrepair after years of neglect, is listed, the PCT must pay huge amounts to refurbish it.
Ms Thornberry said it would not be right to spend £5m of NHS money. She said she has contacted heritage groups about footing the cost and had secret plans in motion that could mean the building will remain a host of health.
Finsbury Health Centre is 70 years old on Tuesday, but no celebration has been planned. Its practice of allowing doctors to work side-by-side with other health professionals, including dentists, has recently been adopted by the government, which is attempting to open hundreds of “polyclinics”.
The PCT is consulting on its plan to break up the centre, moving borough-wide services to a more central Islington near Holloway Tube station.
The PCT will build a new centre in Pine Street, using a public-private partnership, to house the local services including GPs.
Details of the consultation can be found at www.islingtonpct.nhs.uk
The trust is consulting on which services move where, but patient campaigner Barb Jacobson believes they should be consulting on whether the building is refurbished or not.
She has organised a meeting on November 6 at the Church Hall in Exmouth Market at 7pm.

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