This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
GP’s lose out as NHS local managers fail to claim money from property developers
The NHS England local area team in Leicester has been criticised for not enforcing planning legislation, which requires property developers to pay fees to public authorities in order to cover the costs of providing services for a larger population.
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 106 (S106), dictates that public bodies are allowed to charge developers for the extra pressure immediately put on local services by a larger population.
NHS England local teams have contended that in the ‘majority of cases’, the money was collected from property developers.
However, Dr Mohammed Saqib Anwar, medical secretary of Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland LMC, said: “In our patch we have seen a number of major housing developments occur, but this has not always been followed or supported by S106 funding contributions for health by the property developers. NHS England has a responsibility to practices and patients to ensure this funding is being sought.
“I am of the view that NHS England has failed to discharge its responsibility in this regard and has failed practices and patients as a result.”
A spokesman for NHS England in Leicestershire said the organisation was seeking financial contributions from housing developers, where appropriate, in response to the majority of planning applications.
He said: “In order to produce successful S106 requests, legal tests must be met and through developing the right processes NHS England has secured significant levels of S106 funding.
“Work continues towards spending the funding in partnership with healthcare commissioners and providers, as directed by the legal agreements to mitigate the impact on healthcare.”
The spokesman continued to advise that NHS England is investing in a new surgery in Ashby, Leicestershire to replace the current one.
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