| Islington Clinical Commissioning Group has replaced Islington Primary Care Trust as the organisation responsible for the National Health Service in Finsbury and Islington. The ICCG's Governing Body met in public on 7th May. The 10.30 - 12.30 meeting place is an obscure old school now called The Lift, 45 White Lion Street, Finsbury, N1 9PW. Judging by the large number of chairs set out in the meeting hall, a substantial audience was expected. Actually, the audience was five. The Governing Body at the top table was composed of 18 people, 8 of whom were doctors. In the chair was Dr.Gillian Greenhough of Clerkenwell Medical Practice in Finsbury Health Centre. The top table were seated a long way from the audience. This mad them, to a certain extent, inaudible, except to each other. The non-confidential agenda consisted of 287 pages and was about one inch thick. Very early on in the agenda was an item entitled Questions from the Public with the following note added:- "NB. Members of the public will be given the opportunity to ask questions. These must relate to items that are on the agenda for the meeting and should not take longer than three minutes per person". Without having checked through all 287 pages, someone asked what was being done about the refurbishment of Finsbury Health Centre. The reply was that this is a matter for NHS England. In conversation during a break in the meeting, someone asked Dr.Greenhough whether ICCG could bring pressure to bear on NHS England. Dr.Greenhough replied that tis would amount to seeking preferential treatment for her own workplace. Future public meetings of ICCG Governing Body will be held at the same time and place on 2nd July and 3rd September. |