St Ann's Hospital receives support from council (From Haringey Independent)

St Ann's Hospital receives support from council

3:23pm Thursday 19th July 2007

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A pledge of support for St Ann's Hospital has been made this week by Haringey Council.

In a motion passed at the full council meeting on Monday evening, councillors agreed they would "fight to ensure that in any redevelopment of St Ann's Hospital its health facilities are retained or reprovided in an improved way with full consultation and mutual agreement."

The stance, initiated by Councillor Bob Harris, cabinet member for adult social care and well being, comes amid concerns for the future of the site in St Ann's Road Tottenham.

Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust owns the site, but leases parts of it to Haringey Teaching Primary Care Trust (TPCT) for more general health services.

With the borough's health provision being broadly overhauled, questions surround the continuation of services at St Ann's. Some fear that all general facilities will be removed from the site, which would spell the end of a community hospital in the borough.

Cllr Harris said: "We want everyone in our borough to enjoy good health, good access to health services, and have a long life, and we want to see the services at St Ann's hospital kept.

"I want to ensure that if there are any changes in the way services are provided, local people are engaged in the process and listened to every step of the way".

But Mario Petrou of the Save St Ann's Hospital campaign said more need to be done.

"Actions speak louder than words.

"Obviously any utterance by the council that it supports the participation of local people has to be matched by deeds."

In line with this, Councillor Carolyn Baker, Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for health is calling for detailed consultation with local people over the potential relocation of every service at St Ann's.

Haringey TPCT has confirmed the need for a strong health care infrastructure and said it will be consulting with colleagues at the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health Trust throughout the consultation on the future of the St Ann's site.

ckemp@london.newsquest.co.uk

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