Health inequality in Reading, as it impacts on children and communities more generally is a subject I've written about on this blog before as it is an issue that makes my blood boil.
Where you live in Reading undoubtedly effects how long you can expect to live, and your overall quality of life.
One of the key factors influencing people's health is how readily and easily they can access high quality healthcare and health advice.
For people living and working in the centre of Reading, things could well have got better today as a new walk-in clinic has been unveiled. The town centre population is highly mobile and transient with many people of different nationalities and health needs arriving regularly.
Research by the PCT has shown that many people find it difficult to sign up with a GP so a walk-in centre could be what's needed.
I expressed concerns at a meeting of the Health scrutiny panel where plans were discussed about the possible impact of these centres on existing GP surgeries in Reading . Hopefully the two can co-exist although I do have some general fears about 'poly-clinics'.
Last year when councillors were told by the PCT's local representative about the plans for 'GP led health centres' we were told they would happen regardless of what local councillors thought.
The sad reality of 'accountability' or rather lack of it in our local health services.
As Nick Clegg said in a speech last June:
"Recent instructions from the government that Primary Care Trusts must implant a GP-led health centre or polyclinic in every community suggest that government policy is still heading in the same failed direction. The desire to control from the centre remains at the heart of government policy."
The story is less positive in Whitley and West Reading - areas where access to good quality primary health care is known to be limited. As Martin Salter acknowledged in the Evening Post in 2004:
"Local doctors' surgeries are pretty full around here and there is a need for more NHS dentists as well as a range of specialist services that can be delivered locally without people having to trek across town to the Royal Berks,"
Earlier this year the PCT revealed at a health scrutiny meeting that the development of the long-awaited Battle Health and Well Being Centre had been delayed as a result of the recession.
This centre was due to be paid for by developer contributions as part of the redevelopment of the old Battle Hospital site. We are seeing more and more the impact that the economic slowdown is having on important public projects which is a real concern.
I know this latest delay has come as a blow to Battle Councillor Tony Jones who led the campaign five years ago to improve local health facilties.
How ironic that the only thing local people have so far 'gained' out of the redevelopment is a monolithic superstore. And already we read that the operator of the store is pulling out of its committments to a community art project.
Plans for a GP-led health centre in Whitley also remain a long way off.
Under the current Labour administration, large capital projects have been to a large degree funded on the back of new development in the town, through use of 'Section 106' contributions (and the Battle Hospital site was no different).
Government-backed public-private partnerships such as 'Building Schools for the Future' have fared even worse.
I will continue to press the PCT to deliver on promises it made to the local communities in these areas over many years via the HHCC Scrutiny Panel.
In the meantime, local authorities and the government will need to think long and hard about how access to health care can be improved during this recession when developers' cash dries up.
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