On her last day as cabinet member for adult health and social services, councillor Sally Gimson has spoken of her disappointment after board members voted to close the Margaret Pyke Centre.

Ham & High: Women dressed as suffragettes protested outside the Margaret Pyke Centre which will now be closing.Women dressed as suffragettes protested outside the Margaret Pyke Centre which will now be closing. (Image: Archant)

Cllr Gimson vowed she would continue her campaign work to ensure sexual and reproductive health services are championed in the borough.

She said: “I am disappointed that Central and North West London NHS Trust (CNWL) have decided to close the centre but I understand the huge financial constrictions they are facing.

“I want to make sure that there is a contraceptive and sexual reproductive health service for women in Camden and that there is still training into things like coils and long term reversible contraceptive.

“I would hope that this will lead to more appointments at the weekend and in the evenings because many women who are caring for children or who have jobs may not have the time to go to appointments in the daytime and have great difficulties getting appointments.

“I also hope that there is a lot of outreach work in the community to access women who will not or cannot come to the centre.”

CNWL today voted to close the centre down and transfer its services to Mortimer Market and Archway sexual health centre, despite public calls to save the historic sexual health service.

Cllr Gimson will tomorrow be replaced as Camden’s health chief by Georgia Gould, labour councillor for Kentish Town.