With reference to your story ('New threat to 24-hour centre', Edgware & Mill Hill Times, November 29). We have recently reviewed services at the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) and have found that the overall service has grown from strength to strength, the number of attendances for this year predicted to be in the region of 48,000.
The number of attendances after 10pm, however, have been consistently low with a doctor and two nurses seeing an average of only ten patients a night. This is disturbing because it clearly represents a poor use of health service funds and raises the question as to whether or not these could be better deployed to other, more needy, areas of patient care.
After careful consideration and wide discussion, Barnet Primary Care Trust (PCT) is proposing to close the UTC from 10pm until 7am daily. We have launched a three-month public consultation on this proposal starting on November 30 and I would urge readers, either as users or potential users of the service, to comment on the proposals.
Copies of the consultation document can be obtained from Linda Cardell at the PCT on 020 8201 4840. Alternatively you can find the document on the web at www.beh.nhs.uk and we also plan to hold a public meeting in January.
Averil Dongworth
Chief executive, Barnet PCT
December 5, 2001 11:00
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