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. 

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.

RESOLVED

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. 

Matthew Phelan, Public Health Programme Lead for Healthy Environments, Public Health Team presented his report stating the report related to the release of up to £4,824,474 of section 106 and CIL recourses to NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to deliver increased capacity, access and service provision via a number of premises improvements across primary care to enhance local GP services. The funding is divided into £3,494,990.79 of CIL and £1,329,483.21 of S106 monies.

He referred members to point 1.4 of the report and said the project would allow a greater level of service to patients with 24 clinical rooms in the South West locality, with a capacity for up to 25,000 registered patients (an increase of 8k new patients) which will also provide up to 50,400 new patient appointments.

He said the building is expected to be completed and handed over to the NHS in March 2019, with the fit out taking approximately 11 months. The health centre would become fully operational in October 2020.

Mr Phelan informed Members that the projected population growth meant that the Whitechapel and City Wellbeing GP practices would not be able to cope with the demand. Hence the Goodman’s Field development.

Members of the Sub-Committee made the following comments and asked questions in relation to the report:

·         Does TH CCG have enough Doctors for the proposed health centre?

·         What quality of training is given to reception staff to make them more customer focussed?

·         Where is the new health centre located?

·         Will the adjoining borough – City of London also be made to contribute to the cost of the health centre?

·         In reference to page 20, can you clarify elements which are VAT exempted and those which are not?

·         Page 19, point 3.2 refers to ‘community health services’ – What does this mean and are services to be co-located in the health centre?

·         Page 26 – remove reference to Island Medical Centre

·         Can clarity be provided with regard to which CIL and S106 is contributing to the project.

o   ACTION: Officer to provide Members with information on GP recruitment and workforce training and development plus how the new health centre will embrace new technology to reduce waiting times.

Members of the Sub-Committee AGREED to recommend to the Grant’s Determination Sub-Committee to:

1.    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.