Plans to relocate vital local health services from Fortis Green Clinic to sites such as Bounds Green Health Centre and the Whittington Hospital, to enable the NHS to sell off the Clinic land, have been rejected by Lib Dem councillors. The proposed new locations for the Fortis Green Clinic sessions were revealed in a ‘discussion paper’ that Haringey Primary Care Trust (PCT) started distributing last week, ahead of a final decision on the closure being made at the PCT’s Board Meeting on 24th January.

The Liberal Democrats have argued that the clinic should not close, at least until the new community hospital is built at the Hornsey Central site, which will not be completed until 2008 at the earliest.According to the discussion paper, around 200 patients a week use the Fortis Green Clinic to get services such as foot care, blood tests and check-ups for babies.

Lib Dem Fortis Green Councillor Sara Beynon comments:

“This clinic is used by many elderly people and parents of new babies who will find travelling long distances very difficult. Places like Bounds Green Health Centre and the Whittington Hospital are not accessible to many people and are not suitable alternatives.Why should Muswell Hill residents have to travel miles just to get basic healthcare services?”

Cllr Martin Newton, also Fortis Green, comments:

“Services at Fortis Green must remain, at least until the new Hornsey Central Hospital is up-and-running and clinic sessions can transfer there. Making patients travel further to get to brand new facilities at Hornsey Hospital is one thing, but asking people to travel half-way across Haringey to use Bounds Green Clinic, which itself is under threat, is quite different.

Lib Dem Health Spokesperson Cllr Richard Wilson said;

“The PCT wants to make a decision on the 24th January, but this does not leave nearly enough time to consult with patients and residents, many of whom will be busy with Christmas and family for the next few weeks. I have written to PCT Chair Richard Sumray asking him to hold off making the decision on Fortis Green Clinic, and to listen to the concerns of people who don’t want to see valued health facilities disappear before there is anything new built.”