Call for independent chairing of Brent Scrutiny Committee when it considers the closure of Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool

 

Backbencher Cllr Daniel Kennelly asked Cllr Ketan Sheth at Full Council if and when the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee would consider the closure of the Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool by the local NHS.

Cllr Sheth had listed sickle cell care, urgent care treatment centre at Central Midlesex Hospital and Youth Justice as future agenda items for his Committee but did not mention the Hydrotherapy Pool. 

Cllr Sheth thanked Cllr Kennelly for his 'very helpful' questionsand said the issue was 'very much on his radar' and that he would inform the councillor and the chamber when it was on the agenda.

Cllr Paul Lorber (Lib Dem) intervened demanding that the Committee meeting considering the issues should be independently chaired as Cllr Ketan Sheth in a local newspaper article (above) had taken a position that merely 'paraphrased the excuses [for the closure] made by the health service'.

Given the controversy over the closure it is astonishing that it was not already on the Agenda! See below:

 

Petition Stop the closure of Northwick ParkHydrotherapy Pool - 3,156 verified signtures

Open Letter to Cllr Ketan Sheth: Hydrotherapy Pool closure needs effectivescrutiny 

Barry Gardiner calls for Hydrotherapy Pool closure to be paused, release ofdocumentation regarding the decision and review of decision in consultationwith service users 

Healthwatch Brent calls on Trust to reconsider Northwick Park HydrotherapyPool closure

Philip Grant: Northwick Park Hydrotherapy Pool – what the NHS Trust ChiefExecutive wrote (and my reply, seeking to help resolve her problem) 

Northwick Hospital & NHS Trust 'disrespecting' staff and patients over what appear to be secret plans to close the much needed Hydrotherapy Pool funded by donations. Link to Petition.

Can we have a GP system that works for everyone? Tuesday 30th August 5.50pm

 

From the Advocacy Project and Healthwatch Brent

In a time of unprecedented demand, many people are finding it difficult to access their GP when they need to – leading to a backlog of patients who don’t know where to go to get care. Meanwhile, doctors are struggling with long hours and the challenge of prioritising those in greatest need while still providing a robust service for the rest of their patients.

So what can be done? We’ve invited Dr Chaand Nagpaul CBE – a London GP, former chair of the BMA Council and current chair of the BMA Racial & Ethnic Equality Forum – to talk about some of the ways we can relieve pressure on the system and keep our primary care service working for everyone.

Sharing insight from his work with the BMA and his own experience as a GP, Dr Nagpaul will discuss the work being done to improve access to services, and the options patients have for seeking care.

Please join us at 5.50pm for a 6pm start. After booking you will be able to access the Zoom link through Eventbrite - it will also be sent via email the day before the lecture. There will be plenty of time for Q&A during the event, but please note that we will be unable to answer questions about individuals' personal circumstances.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/can-we-have-a-gp-system-that-works-for-everyone-tickets-391155144567