MP playing politics with local NHS service

Simon Danczuk MP

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk is campaigning to see a clinic providing NHS services run out of a town centre car park - the service is being operated by Care UK, an independent sector provider, in partnership with the NHS.

Mr Danczuk is opposing planning permission being granted for the mobile clinical units, that provide a range of minor surgical procedures, from orthopaedic conditions, urology, gynaecology and musculoskeletal to treatment for ear, nose and throat problems, to remain on part of the Union Street car park they have occupied since 2009.

In a move roundly condemned as “totally inappropriate” by an experienced councillor, Matthew Baker, of Mr Danczuk's office, sent an email on the 1 June to Labour councillors providing “background information, which may be helpful”. This “background information” claimed, wrongly, that the clinic is occupying the car park “illegally” (it is not, in line with planning guidelines, the units are entitled to remain whilst the planning application is being considered) and going on to make a point that, “the chairman of Care UK made a significant donation to the Tories before the last General Election. He publicly gave £21,000 to fund Andrew Lansley's office, which raises questions about how Care UK are gaining from Tory health policies.”

That Mr Danczuk's office should make such a partisan political point in an email to councillors in relation to a planning application, knowing some of whom will be making the decision whether or not to grant planning permission, is surprising given Mr Danczuk and Mr Baker must surely understand that planning regulations are strict in that decisions must be based solely on planning issues.

In a u-turn on his policy of the past two years of refusing to talk to Rochdale Online, Mr Danczuk has responded saying the suggestion that he is campaigning to get Care UK's mobile clinic removed from the town centre is misleading, he said: "This is not the case. All along I have suggested it would be better housed on a more suitable site that did not harm traders."

However, over 170 nearby traders have signed a petition seeking the clinic is granted approval to stay and only 15 have signed a counter petition asking for the clinic to be refused permission to stay.

The car park owner has also pointed out that the car park is not financially viable without the rental income from Care UK and hence if the clinic had to move off the car park, it would have to close completely - presently it is open to the public on the days that the clinic is not operating.

Moreover, Care UK, the applicants, have said the alternative site proposed is not suitable; the units on the current site provide "a vital health care service on behalf of the NHS" and "more than 23,000 patients have been treated since it opened in 2009".

A detailed and thorough report prepared by the Council planning department recommends that planning permission be granted – and councillors would have to have very good reasons, strictly on planning grounds, to go against that recommendation if they are not to leave the Council open to a costly appeal and individual councillors open to surcharge.

The decision will be made at a meeting of Rochdale Township Planning committee on Tuesday 3 July.

www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/71090/local-nhs-service-at-risk