Health

A 'PIONEERING' Pinner health centre where patients can see a doctor without a prior appointment was officially opened by public health minister Gillian Merron.
The Pinn Medical Centre, located in Love Lane, Pinner, is open between 8am and 8pm and hosts clinics for cardiology, dermatology and gynaecology, as well as providing X-ray and ultrasound services.
Under a network called a 'polysystem', the clinic is linked to local GP practices which can refer the ill to the medical centre to receive the kind of specialist medical attention and procedures that can normally open be obtained at hospital.
Ms Merron cut the ribbon at a ceremony on Wednesday last week (21/10) alongside the chief executive of NHS Harrow, Dr Sarah Crowther, and Labour MP for Harrow West, Gareth Thomas.
Dr Crowther said: "It is a pioneering project that has found its perfect setting in a clean, spacious, modern, comfortable and accessible building. These are the qualities that our patients have told us they want in local healthcare and that's exactly what we're delivering.
"We're taking the NHS in a new direction, which, now more than ever, is about what patients want and how they can get involved in making choices about their own care, backed by the expertise of and relationships with superb clinicians. That's what The Pinn is about."
Mr Thomas said: "I was delighted to play a small part in helping to get the Pinn Medical Centre its current location.
"I think Dr Amol Kelshiker and his staff have done a fantastic job."

Breast cancer may have gone undetected in women across Harrow after it emerged the screening process was not up to scratch.

In board papers released last month Harrow Primary Care Trust (PCT) slammed Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital, which is commissioned to carry out routine mammograms, because it was failing to hit targets.

As it stands the hospital in Enfield carries out screening for Harrow women aged between 50 and 70 who have free scheduled screens every three years as part of a national NHS programme.

However, the minutes of the recent paper said the hospital is failing to see as many patients as expected.

It also condemns the quality of the process and suggests that screening standards were not being met either.

It reads: "There is a real issue of the local population experiencing a poor breast screening service, comparative to the national level.

"Local residents are not being screened properly or to proper standards, which is unacceptable.

"Breast screening continues to be under-trajectory and a letter has been written to the current provider of this service notifying them that Harrow PCT will look into providing this service locally if it is not improved substantially."

Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital argued that the standard checks alluded to in the meeting were made a long time ago and that more recent processes show the service has improved.

But uptake is still under-trajectory as the hospital is still working to undertake more screenings.

A spokeswoman said: "There have been no issues of any clinical concerns and the North London Breast Screening Service continues to meet all Quality Assurance and clinical standards.

"Following a recent visit by the Quality Assurance Team, Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust is being held up as an example of good practice for other Breast Screening units to follow.

"The North London Breast Screening Service is keeping to the agreed screening timetable and is working proactively with all PCTs, including Harrow PCT, to minimise any delays and to improve uptake and coverage.

"Proposals for new screening sites have been made and discussions are being held to ensure that the screening timetable can be achieved."

West End Lawn Tennis Club is seeking to introduce floodlighting to more of its courts in Cuckoo Hill Road, Pinner, so that members can play longer into the evening.

The association has been turning youngsters away because it currently only has two courts out of six that can be illuminated at night - limiting court capacity - but a planning application lodged with Harrow Council seeks to increase this number to four, with backing from the Lawn Tennis Association.

The suggested shut-off time for the lights is 9.30pm in order for the club to hold inter-club and inter-county evening matches.

A previous floodlighting scheme was rejected by Harrow Council and the club lost its appeal against that decision just a few months ago. In this latest application, the eight lighting columns are shorter to mitigate some of the neighbour complaints.

The original planning appeal generated a 400-strong petition in favour of the plans - presented to the Labour MP for Harrow West, Gareth Thomas, who himself threw himself between the idea - as well as a letter of support from Kim James, the headteacher of West Lodge First School, in West End Lane, Pinner.

A heart charity is looking for volunteers to help with collecting donations in the Harrow area.