Health centre plans lose feel-good factor

THE secretary of State for Health claims Oldham’s Primary Care Trust prioritised the new Werneth care centre over developments in Shaw and Saddleworth.

In a letter to MP Michael Meacher, Andrew Lansley admits that other developments were put first.

He states: “The PCT decided to prioritise Werneth Primary Care Centre as it considered this project the most deliverable and value for money of the schemes.”

The revelation has angered campaigners in both districts, who worked hard to secure new centres like the ones seen in other parts of the borough.

Saddleworth councillor John McCann said: “It is frustrating others have been put before us because we didn’t want a massive multi-storey centre, we simply wanted up-to-date services to provide minor treatments. It wouldn’t have cost the Earth.

“I’m annoyed at the amount of time they had the money for and they were so slow and secretive nothing happened.

“They wasted a massive fund of good-will locally from people who would have advised where the best sites were.”

However, plans for new provisions in Saddleworth and Shaw have not yet been scrapped altogether. The minister says that they are being re-examined in terms of affordability and value for money.

He admitted that alternative means were being looked at in case NHS Oldham could not deliver under the Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) funding initiative.

He said: “For Saddleworth, this could include increasing provision of mobile services. The Shaw scheme could be delivered on a smaller scale using a different procurement method.”

Unaffected by the spending review, the LIFT initiative that funded similar projects across the borough, could still be used with private sector partners as funding, according to the minister.

Construction of the £11.2 million Werneth centre has already begun and is due to open next summer.

Council leader Howard Sykes said: “This decision has everything to do with NHS Oldham putting the proposed health centres in Shaw and Saddleworth at the back of the queue and nothing to do with any government plans for savings.”

Primary Care Trusts are due to be abolished in May, 2013.

A spokesman for NHS Oldham said: “NHS Oldham always has been and will continue to be committed to making sure people across the borough get the very best health services.”