Approve the grant funding of £4,824,474 to NHS Tower Hamlets CCG to deliver increased capacity, access and service provision in primary care and maintain continuity of local GP services.

Tower Hamlets is one of the most deprived boroughs in the country and the population is expected to reach nearly 315,000 by 2020 . Both NHS Tower Hamlets Commissioning Strategic Plan 2012 – 2015 and the Tower Hamlets 2016 - 2020 Health and Wellbeing Strategy highlight the development of health premises and the refurbishment of facilities as key to supporting both the integration and localisation of services linked with local area partnerships. The Commissioning Strategic plan describes the course of action to improve health outcomes for the local population and has a commitment to improve the quality of life for everyone in the borough by working in partnership with key stakeholders including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Rapid population growth, stimulated by new residential development, is driving increased demand for healthcare provision in the affected localities. The proposed new health facilities and expansion will help build the extra clinical capacity that will be required to meet the increased demand for primary care.

Given the difficulties in obtaining new premises and the space and financial constraints on primary care services, the capital investment will enable GP Practices to increase their appointments and clinical capacity.

The projects will allow a greater level of service to be offered to patients. The Goodman’s field proposal will deliver a new, fully equipped modern health facility with 24 clinical rooms in the South West Locality, with capacity for up to 25,000 registered patients (an increase of 8k new patients), which will also provide up to 50,400 new patient appointment.

Finances will be spent in accordance with the s106 / CIL obligations and will deliver projects identified and agreed with the contributors in compliance with the funding agreements”

The Chair noted the report which proposed to release combined S106 and CIL funding for the provision of GP facilities at the Goodman’s Fields development.  An addendum report was tabled at the meeting which provided clarification of matters arising from GSSC’s review of the proposal; these concerned the sources of the funding, VAT liabilities and corrected EQIA data.

The Chair enquired and Grants Determination Sub-Committee (GDSC) Members indicated that they had no additional comments that they wished to make.

DECISION

That grant funding of £4,824,474 (£3,494,990.79 of CIL and £1,329,483.21 of s106)  be approved to NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group to deliver increased capacity, access and service provision in primary careand maintain continuity of local GP services.