Dr Kohli, a GP working in the Manor Park LIFT building in Newham, East London, was invited by the Committee to appear as a witness following concerns he expressed to members of the Committee during a visit to the health centre about the affordability of LIFT developments. Dr Kohli submitted to the Committee a written statement and an analysis of the estimated 2005-06 cost of rents in LIFT premises per registered LIFT patient and rental costs in other primary care buildings per registered patient, based on information provided by Newham PCT (Ev 17-18).
Mr Bacon asked the NAO to prepare an analysis on a similar basis for all the case studies covered in the Report. Table 4 sets out comparable information for 2004-05 as it was difficult to obtain estimated 2005-06 information for the other PCTs.
Table 4
AVERAGE ANNUAL PRIMARY CARE RENT PAID PER PATIENT VERSUS AVERAGE RENT PER LIFT GP PATIENT
(A) | (B) | (C)1 | (D)2 | (E)1 |
LIFT area | Actual PCT funding for primary care accommodation 2004-05 (£) | Average annual cost per patient (£) | PCT funding for GP premises in LIFT buildings in 2004-05 on a annualised basis (£) | |
East London | 10,708,000 | 14.22 | 422,760 | 28.73 |
East Lancashire | 2,815,000 | 5.58 | 2,451,480 | 32.88 |
Ashton, Leigh & Wigan | 2,081,000 | 6.90 | 967,238 | 29.23 |
Barnsley | 934,000 | 3.92 | 635,376 | 16.48 |
Sandwell | 1,229,000 | 3.84 | 635,400 | 31.41 |
Barking & Havering3 | 3,432,000 | 8.20 | 0 | 0 |
2005-06 figures for Newham provided to PAC by Dr Kohli4 | ||||
Newham PCT | 3,223,099 | 10.20 | 899,180 | 32.20 |
1 Patient numbers are derived from Table 1 of the C&AG's memorandum, Ev 19.
2 Column D details the annualised PCT funding of GP accommodation for tranche one LIFT buildings for 2004-05. The LIFT funding has been annualised as, in some instances, the buildings only opened during 2004-05. LIFT funding is comprised of the annual rental charge payable by the PCT for premises and forms part of each PCT's overall primary care accommodation funding as detailed in Column B.
3 In 2004-05 the Barking & Havering LIFT building was fully occupied by PCT staff providing clinic services.
4 Dr Kohli provided the Committee with 2005-06 figures for Newham after discussion with the PCT (paragraph 3.1 above). The PCT revised those figures in the light of more up to date information.
It is difficult to draw conclusions from the above analysis as LIFT premises are new, purpose built and in excellent condition and generally provide more useable space than the existing stock of PCT premises, which are typically much older and in poorer condition.