Agenda item

Community announcements and presentations

To receive information on local community events in the Dulwich Community Council area.

 

  • NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group – announcement about the extended access to urgent appointments for Southwark residents

 

  • Police updates on community safety and policing issues.

 

  • East Dulwich Christmas cracker – event on Saturday 6 December 2014.

 

  • Information about people accessing the phlebotomy (blood testing) Service meeting.

 

  • Welfare Reform Update – the impacts of welfare reform across the borough as a whole, the community council area and the individual wards.

 

  • Cycle Contra Flow - Overhill Road, London SE22 (consultation from 1 December 2014 to 19 December 2014.

 

  • Cycling strategy consultation (announcement).

Minutes:

The following announcements were made:

 

NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group 

 

Dr Sian Howell from NHS Southwark Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) introduced herself to the meeting and announced that following the changes that were introduced in April 2014, the CCG were responsible for the quality of primary care and had a significant role in health care.  The key issue would be to make it easier for patients to see their doctor when they need to and where residents should go for out of hours care. 

 

The CCG took on board comments and feedback from the consultation events that were held recently and as result have introduced the following:

 

·  To improve access to health services

·  GP practices to work closely together

·  Additional service available at the Lister Health Centre – south of the Borough and a new one would shortly open in the north of the borough. 

·  The additional service would involve a practice (medically trained) receptionist that could speak to patients on the telephone and signpost people on where they need to go. 

·  The practice receptionist would have access to a patient’s notes – to ensure that there would be a continuity of care particularly for the long term ill and those with mental health problems.

 

In response to questions, Dr Howell explained that the CCG would aim to improve communication between the CCG and the health authority and to look at plans to resource services in Dulwich.  Dr Howell also mentioned that the CCG had considered SELDOC but decided to provide this service at the Lister Health Centre.

 

Members asked questions about access to GP appointments, scale of resources, response time and said that telephone advice might not be the solution to an already bigger problem.  Dr Howell said they would endeavour to come up with other solutions and was a big advocate of telephone management.  Each receptionist would be trained and arrangements would be in place so that if there were concerns, a doctor would call the patient back.  The new service would make it easier to access urgent appointments. A patient’s notes would be accessible in order to understand the patient’s medical history or medication.

 

Dr Howell said she understood the challenges particularly in regard to those people with disabilities, or those whose first language was not English.

 

Leaflets were available at the meeting and for more information contact www.southlondoncsu.nhs.uk or email jennifer.cole4@nhs.net

 

Police updates

 

Sergeant Stewart Turnbull reported on the fire that occurred at Denmark Hill train station and an armed robbery which took place at a jewellers in Upland Road. Sgt Turnbull said further updates would be given at the ward panel meeting and the next community council.

 

The following was highlighted:

 

·  The borough’s Remembrance Day events went without incident.

 

·  Reported that there was a new contact point in Camberwell. People were told to refer to the Met Police website http://content.met.police.uk/Home  

 

·  Theft offences: There was a 30% drop in East Dulwich ward and a 20% drop in College ward during the warm weather, around hot spots and during the night time economy.

 

·  Domestic violence – he urged people to report any incidents to the police.

 

·  Police road induction initiative would be taking place in the local area.

 

The meeting noted that Dulwich councillors met recently with the borough commander and put forward the view of having a touch down base in the Dulwich area.  At the time they were told by the borough commander that there were no resources to fund a touch down base.

 

Robin Crookshank Hilton said she contacted the borough commander about the same issue and was told that a touch down base might be considered. The chair said he would contact the borough commander about the information that Robin relayed to the meeting.

 

East Dulwich Christmas Cracker

 

Councillor Charlie Smith announced the East Dulwich Christmas cracker event would take place on Saturday 6 December 2014 at Lordship Lane and North Cross Road between 11 am to 5 pm. The event had successfully been running for 3 years which included entertainment and music which included local community choirs and a bandstand.  Many of the local businesses were involved in the event and donations were collected for the food bank. Everyone was encouraged to attend the event and leaflets were available at the meeting.

 

Viapath Phlebotomy blood testing service

 

It was noted that a meeting took place between councillors and representatives at Viapath phlebotomy services on the extension of the blood testing appointment system so it included a Saturday phlebotomy service. The Viapath phlebotomy were uncertain whether they should commit to this appointment system following members’ decision to award cleaner, greener safer revenue funding to the blood testing appointment system. The ward members suggested that the funding be re-allocated to other East Dulwich projects. 

 

Information on the existing appointment system was available at the meeting:

·  Kings College Hospital – Monday to Friday from 7.30am – 6.00pm

·  Dulwich Hospital – Monday to Friday from 7.30am – 7.00pm

·  Guy’s Hospital – Monday to Friday from 8.30am – 1.00pm

·  St Thomas Hospital – Monday to Friday from 7.30am – 6.00pm

 

Welfare Reform item

As the officer was not present the community council would receive an update at the next meeting.

 

Consultation on the cycle contra flow: Overhill Road, London SE22

 

The chair announced that the consultation on the cycle contra flow on Overhill Road, London SE22 would run from 1 December until 19 December 2014. A report on the contra cycle flow would be presented at the next community council.

 

For more information visit the council’s website www.southwark.gov.uk/consultation or contact Clement Agyei Frempong on 020 7525 2305.

 

Cycling strategy consultation

 

Simon Phillips, Team Leader, transport policy gave a presentation on the cycling strategy and its consultation.  He talked about the benefits of cycling and that the council wanted to increase and encourage as many people as possible to cycle in the borough.  The Southwark spine route run downs to the central part of the borough to the south which is otherwise called the super cycle highway.

 

Simon said he wanted people’s views on proposals for the super cycle highway and junctions in the borough in order to ascertain whether they were safe or not.  In response to questions, the new traffic model for the Townley Road /East Dulwich Grove junction was out for consultation.  The officer explained that there was a possibility of the consultation date being extended in order to receive comments and views from residents.  All the necessary background information on the Townley Road /East Dulwich Grove junction would be available to the public.

 

Questions were asked about the removal of the no right turn at the junction and the extension of the consultation date.  Simon agreed to take these comments back to colleagues in the traffic team.

 

The residents also highlighted the following:

 

The scheme particularly with regard to the crossing would be a counter productive arrangement (change /alter layout of junction at Townley Road /East Dulwich Grove /East Dulwich station). It would create a major impact on the area. 

 

A resident from Gilkes Crescent said he spoke to a number of local residents who were not in favour of the right turn proposal especially as this would increase traffic in Red Post Hill.  The resident said the model needs to be looked at carefully so as not to make the situation worse.

 

A resident from Dovercourt Road spoke on behalf of residents that live in Dovercourt Road and also presented a petition which outlined that many had concerns about the right hand turn proposal and the affect this would have on cyclists.  It would have a serious knock on effect and  residents would like to see additional evidence and be given more time to review it.

 

A resident from Townley Road said the proposal would be a disaster and he urged members not to support the “no right turn”.

 

Southwark Friends of the Earth representative expressed concerns about the proposal and explained it was too dangerous for cyclists.

 

A resident from Woodwarde Road felt that it was imperative the consultation should be extended. He added that residents would like all questions answered satisfactorily, and for officers to meet with local residents, and provide further information about Southwark traffic policy and outline how stakeholders would be consulted.

 

Simon Phillips agreed to feedback the above information to colleagues in the department.  The officer encouraged people to complete the questionnaire and write that they would like an extension to the consultation date.

 

The chair said he would welcome the report on this at the next meeting and asked officers to consider the following:

 

·  What background documents were available at the meeting.

·  That further consideration should be given on the modelling of the scheme.

·  Information on how the stakeholders would be consulted – including local resident associations in Gilkes Crescent, Woodwarde Road, Townley Road and Calton Avenue. 

·  Provide detail on the streets that would be consulted (including the distribution of consultation leaflets).

 

Des Waters, head of public realm said he would check to see if there was scope to extend the consultation date.  He announced that a report would be presented to the community council in January 2015 before it is considered by the relevant cabinet member.  Residents requested that the process be open and transparent.