'NHS reorganisation could damage care' says Cllr Sue Galloway (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

'NHS reorganisation could damage care' says Cllr Sue Galloway

May 17, 2006 3:39 PM

Sue Galloway (Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Social Services and Health) today expressed reservations over the governments latest shake up of healthcare in the region. The Department of Health announced yesterday (16th May) that they were cutting the number of Primary Care Trusts nationally from 303 to 152 by October 2006.

Speaking today, Cllr Sue Galloway said "My first priority is that any changes must not reduce patient care in the York area. Currently the Selby and York PCT serves just 277,000 residents. The new proposed larger PCT will cover a population of 705,000 residents, and therefore may not be able to respond as effectively to the needs of patients.

"Secondly, I have real fears that the costs of this latest reorganization will take funds from frontline services. Any reorganization takes a huge amount of time, staff resource and money. Cuts to health services in York have already been made, and I am worried that this latest shake up will mean health provision are further reduced or rationed. To try to rush through such an enormous programme of reorganization in a few short months seems foolhardy, and I would like to see the timescale for implementation extended.

"There will be a great deal of instability until the new PCT is well-established. This will be the second reorganization within five years. As is so often the case, these constant changes appear not to be properly costed. There has been an unprecedented level of change in the NHS, yet patients are now seeing cuts in health care. This government is using change to distract attention from poor performance in the NHS.

"I would welcome any measures which could bring health and social services closer together, but it is difficult to see how this can work due to the different accountability and financial requirements for the NHS and local authorities. The enlarged PCT will start with a debt of some £40 million, which must be repaid within the year, and I am unaware of any costed plan to achieve this.

"It is also very unclear what the arrangements will be for joint services, such as where City of York Council provides equipment or support for learning disabilities on behalf on of the PCT. However, these joint working arrangements must not be threatened by the Department of Health, as they have made a real difference to the lives of people living in York."