On the 6th March 2010, a fire at the practice gutted the building and destroyed thousands of records.

London

On the 6th March 2010, a fire at the practice gutted the building and destroyed thousands of records, the entire drugs stock, and all the fixtures and fittings. Over 25 firefighters attended the blaze, which saw nearby shops evacuated amid concerns that nitrogen and oxygen cylinders stored at the surgery could explode. Fortunately these fears were quickly cleared, but the practice was totally gutted.

While the fire was being dampened, we assembled a team of experts to deliver a comprehensive and quick settlement that would allow the surgery to continue meeting the needs of the 10,000 local residents as best as possible. It soon became clear that the temporary accommodation provided by the local health authority would not be sufficient for the practice and its patients. We negotiated a more suitable arrangement, while also disputing the settlement of the material damage with the insurers.

Our work saw the practice move to a temporary arrangement based on a complex structure of Portacabins, which housed all of the doctors, waiting rooms, examination rooms and other medical facilities. Our help enabled them to focus on patient care instead of the claim process. Throughout our interactions with the insurers, we concentrated on the claim quantum and obtaining interim payments that allowed the practice to continue providing healthcare. Building work for a permanent building is currently underway.