During early 2003 some interested parties came together with a common goal of seeking to remove unnecessary barriers in the development of primary care premises. The feeling was that there remained both unsatisfied demand from within the health service and medical profession and frustration amongst potential suppliers. From then until now we continue to act as a conduit between the private and public sector and from those very early days, the Forum has become one of the most important and relevant interfaces between the public and private sectors:

Our stated goals:

• Prime aim to understand NHS requirements and relay to them Private Sector concerns so as to speed up and hence reduce the cost of developing high quality primary health premises
• Encourage the growth of an expert market to meet NHS targets and GP requirements
• Enhance the standing of private sector development within the NHS/public sector
• Be a sounding board for the private sector with problems/queries before they become serious blockages to progress by suggesting solutions and by facilitating communication
• Be non exclusive and informative to new entrants to the market
• Offer an informal route for discussions with NHS England and District Valuer Services

Projects

One of our key pieces of work has been to produce Guidance for the sector on such matters as Agreement for Leases for new development and for GPs including that for Sale & Leaseback . We also have regular liaison meetings with NHS England, DVS and the BMA.