PRESSURE is mounting on the local health authority to reconsider its decision to close a popular health centre for young people after outraged community leaders publicly challenged the move.
Last week the Star reported the Harlow One Stop Shop health suite in Occasio House is set to be axed by NHS West Essex at the end of the month due to funding and accommodation “issues”.
It said the OSS – which provides a broad range of support services including a sexual health clinic for 13-25 year-olds – is no longer viable following the withdrawal of other agencies, including Government-backed youth advice service Connexions, from the premises.
But this week local MP Robert Halfon, Harlow Council cabinet member Joel Charles and the Harlow Health Centres Trust called for further discussion on the closure plans, arguing the PCT’s decision was both shortsighted and rushed.
HHCT provided the OSS with £50,000 of funding for the reconfiguration of the health suite in 2005, and chairman Martin Lawn told the Star the money had been handed over on the understanding the service would remain operational until at least May 2012.
“This facility has a proven track record of containing the levels of teenage pregnancies in Harlow and is supporting 700-800 young people each month,” he added.
“Consultation with existing partners and possible new ones may save this vital and necessary provision for young people”.
Councillor Charles said the planned closure would create a “black hole” in youth healthcare provision in Harlow.
“I find it very wrong that the health authority has not consulted community leaders over this decision and instead tried to rush it through in less than three weeks,” he told the Star.
“That is not showing respect to those leaders or to the service users.”
Mr Halfon has written to Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley to complain about the health authority’s conduct.
“I think this is a disgraceful decision by the PCT and I am particularly unhappy about not being told about this, which is in stark contrast with the hospital who spent a good few weeks going through their difficulties with me,” he said.
“It is clear that this is a shortsighted decision that will end up costing more in the end.”
He added he was surprised the PCT had claimed they could not afford to continue running the service, pointing out that NHS West Essex had received a £12m funding boost from the Department of Health this year.
But Adrian Marr, the health authority’s director of resources, claimed the additional funding would be swallowed up by increased costs associated with the rising demand for services across the region.
“While it is good that the NHS is receiving a modest increase in allocation year on year, there is a even greater increase in the cost of rising demands on the NHS,” he told the Star.
“This means we need to make savings across all areas of healthcare to ensure that we meet these rising demands within the money allocated for the year.”
Harlow GP Dr Rob Gerlis, GP director of commissioning for west Essex, added: “In the current economic climate we have to look carefully at every penny we spend of taxpayers’ money.
“Given that we are already investing in similar services in different ways, there isn’t a strong case for spending lots more money on developing a new standalone service.
“We will keep a close eye on how sexual health services are performing locally. We monitor month by month the number of teenage pregnancies, for example, and we work to targets for chlamydia screening.
“If needs change and we need to do something more then we will review and make changes.”
