Plans to relocate St. Philips Medical Centre to Queens House were announced last week, following the Beaver’s coverage of Camden Primary Care Trust’s (PCT) rejection of other relocation plans.
A campaign has been launched by the LSESU after a motion was passed at the Union General Meeting (UGM) last Thursday. This came after responses from LSE Secretary and Director of Administration Adrian Hall and LSESU General Secretary Aled Dilwyn Fisher regarding the practice’s fear of potential closure.
The Medical Centre was meant to be relocated to the ‘Island Site’ and other sites around the LSE, as a result of plans to redevelop the site for a New Students’ Centre. This site, which houses the Medical Centre, was listed by the Guardian’s article as a “structurally unsound” site at the LSE. However, as it was not located in Camden, the proposals were rejected by Camden PCT. Further, Westminister PCT refused to take over from Camden.
Fisher wrote on the Facebook group, ‘Save St. Philips Medical Centre’: “LSE throughout have assured the Students’ Union, and Dr. Naidoo and his staff, that the relocation was going smoothly. It was only a few weeks ago that we were informed it was not. It is very frustrating that communication between LSE and the medical practice, and with the Students’ Union, has been poor, but we are where we are and time is of the essence.”
Hall said in a global email last week: “…work has been going on to find suitable alternative premises for the St. Philips Medical Centre once demolition starts in July. This is not a straightforward matter…It is the responsibility of Camden Primary Care Trust (PCT) to ensure these requirements are met. Finding premises that satisfy Camden PCT has been very difficult and, to date, they have rejected several options put forward by the School.”
The ground floor of Queens House is the current proposed relocation site for the practice, with a decision expected from Camden PCT in the coming weeks. However, there are a number of leaseholders in the building, which will involve “complicated negotiations” if the plans are approved.
“Success is by no means certain and, unfortunately, we are struggling to find alternatives,” concluded Hall in the email.
However, there has not been a formal response from the LSE to St. Philips. LSE Director of Business Continuity Planning Andrew Webb paid the practice a visit last Wednesday, saying that Adrian Hall would write a letter of reply to the GP Principal Dr Naidoo’s open letter to the Council. At time of print, this has not been received.
Fisher commented: “St. Philips Medical Centre is an essential service for students. The Students’ Union’s position from the start of the New Students’ Centre (NSC) project has been that a medical centre must be retained for students on campus or as near to campus as possible, and that remains our position.
“It would completely perverse for the LSE Medical Centre to be lost in the name of improving the ‘student experience’ and providing us a new building.”
The motion, which was proposed by Fisher, resolved that the LSESU campaign for the relocation of St Philips to be “as near as possible to LSE campus” as well as the lobbying of politicians in Camden to support the campaign.
“It is crucial that we put pressure on Camden PCT to approve the new location if it can be secured, and that should be our focus over the coming weeks,” stated Fisher.
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