Beds go as North West NHS under spends by £160 million
Date published: 31 May 2007
Paul Rowen MP
On the day that the Pennine Acute Hospital Trust confirmed it was cutting 221 hospital beds including 37 at Rochdale Infirmary Rochdale MP Paul Rowen has revealed that the North West Strategic Health Authority will under spend by at least £161million on its 2006/7 budget.
He said: "Last year the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said that the NHS would not overspend on its budget. Nationally it is predicted to under spend by £13million on a budget of £900 billion.
"However in the North West the under spending is a massive £161 million!
"It seems that beds and jobs are being cut to save Patricia Hewitt’s skin. Once again the North is bailing out the South.
"Pennine Acute is cutting nearly 10% of its hospital beds with the loss also of jobs and services to local community.
"At the same time the Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton PCT is under spending its budget by £2.3m.
"I question why we should be making these cuts when the surplus retained by the SHA or the Rochdale PCT would more than meet Pennine Acutes deficits and those of other Trusts in the North West. The money was intended to be spent on Health Services in the North West not sitting in the bank."
Do you have a story for us?
Let us know by emailing news@rochdaleonline.co.uk
All contact will be treated in confidence.
Most Viewed News Stories
- 1Burnham responds to TfGM staff after strike vote
- 2Radio star Gemma Atkinson supports Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary’s Shoebox Appeal
- 3Friday and Saturday’s fire festival cancelled due to severe weather
- 4Whitworth High boxer and footballer is runner-up in Rochdale Active Awards
- 5Greater Manchester could finally receive an answer about congestion zone left ‘in limbo’
To contact the Rochdale Online news desk, email news@rochdaleonline.co.uk or visit our news submission page.
To get the latest news on your desktop or mobile, follow Rochdale Online on Twitter and Facebook.
