Local health services facing multi-million pound cuts

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A damning report from NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale has been uncovered that warns of severe cuts to local health services. The need for savings is expected to impact on ‘every aspect of health care’ bringing job cuts and changes to local services.

The report, which was written by acting Chief Executive Dena Marshall, says: "All public organisations will be facing significant financial pressures from 2011. The NHS is being asked to reduce its overall spend by some £15-20 billion over this period (15-20%). In Greater Manchester, and in the North East Sector, these savings will be made by reducing demand for services by at least 10% and by reducing capacity by at least 15%."

However, Government Minister for Department of Health Mike O’Brien denied that any cuts were in the pipeline this week when questioned by Rochdale MP Paul Rowen. Mr Rowen asked for assurance that frontline services would not be cut saying: “Primary Care Trusts in the North West currently have a year-to-date deficit of £15.3m. Will the Secretary of State tell us, or give us a guarantee, that important services to patients will not be sacrificed in trying to reduce those deficits?

The Minister Mike O'Brien replied: “We have made it very clear that managers need to focus on ensuring that they deliver the best quality of care. The issue of finance comes second to quality. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that managers have been given that very clear guidance."

However, NHS Trusts across Greater Manchester find themselves millions of pounds in the red.

Now Greater Manchester’s ten primary care trusts – the organisations which fund all health care in their area – must save £950 million over the next four years, which equates to around five per cent of their annual budget.

Bosses have been told to begin with a 30 per cent cut in management, but Mr Rowen believes this will spread to other front line services.

Mr Rowen said: "Clearly the Government is being less than straight with us about cuts being planned by the Health Department.

"A 10% cut equates to £1billion for Greater Manchester or £100m per annum or £25m per annum for NHS Heywood Middleton and Rochdale. This is the amount that is normally spent on cancer care in each borough.

"I don’t believe cuts of this magnitude can happen without cuts in frontline services and jobs.

"Government promises that the NHS will be protected from public expenditure cuts look increasingly hollow."