No repeat of Frimley closure

Following the premature closure of the GUM Clinic at Frimley Park Hospital, contrary to the commitment given by Surrey County Council in March that the Clinic would remain open until the end of September 2017, a member of the Blanche Heriot Unit Patients Action Group instructed solicitors to write to the commissioners – Surrey County Council & NHS England – seeking an assurance that the Blanche Heriot Unit (“BHU”) would not, in turn, be subject to pre-emptive closure. Surrey County Council has now confirmed that the contract for services at BHU has been extended until the end of September 2017 and that the services provided under the contract will not change prior to the end of the extension period. Our solicitors have also requested a further six months extension, from October 2017 – March 2018, to enable full scrutiny and consultation to take place on the future of the services currently provided at the BHU. To assist with this our solicitors have requested copies of the relevant tender and contract documents, financial appraisal and equality impact assessment. The commissioners have been asked to provide this information by 19th July 2017.