Lib Dems Call for Government Intervention Over Region's Healthcare Crisis

10.17.15am GMT Tue 21st Nov 2006

The East of England Liberal Democrats debated and passed policy on Saturday calling for a range of measures to help protect local health care, including a period of stability for the health service to recover a financial balance (full text of motion below).

Speaking during the debate on the issues affecting Norfolk, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman for Norwich South, Simon Wright, said:

"Norfolk's new PCT has the biggest financial black hole of any trust in the region. The likely scenario is that community hospitals and beds will be shut across Norfolk. There us great fear and anger about the situation within Norfolk's communities over the loss of clinically beneficial, much respected, and well loved community facilities."

"And the news from Norfolk's PCT gets worse. The Eastern Daily Press reports on a document driven not by healthcare outcomes but by financial ones. It proposes that people wait longer for operations, and raises the threshold at which treatment will even be considered."

"The Government needs to give more time to PCTs to restore a financial balance. The alternative of widespread cuts all-in-one-go to satisfy short term financial problems will decimate patient care across the county."

The motion was passed with two amendments:

NHS Crisis in the East of England

Conference notes:

a) the financial deficits experienced by Hospital Trusts across the region.

b) the Acute Services Review being carried out by the East of England Strategic Health Authority (SHA) that aims to move services from District General Hospitals to "super-hospitals".

Conference believes that:

a) the deficits have been caused by the climate of financial insecurity created by the Labour government and in particular its market-led reforms; failed attempts at micro-management of health care; and setting of political rather than clinical targets.

b) the Acute Services Review taking place in the context of such financial instability will lead to a finance driven review.

c) many of the region's 19 District General Hospitals are under threat from this review. In particular, Emergency Care may be lost at many hospitals and the hospitals' long term viability compromised.

At a time when the East of England is experiencing greater than average population growth due to national government plans, Conference calls on the government to:

a) recognise the need for local delivery of services, especially Emergency Care, rather than increasing travel times to super-hospitals.

b) allow the health service a period of stability in which to recover to a financial balance rather than having to slash frontline services to balance the books in one year.

c) to make the control of local NHS services democratically accountable to local people.

and on Liberal Democrats in the East of England:

d) to campaign vigorously during the SHA review for the protection of essential frontline services close to local populations.

Proposer: Christine McHugh

Summator: Michael Headley

Amendment 1

Add after (iv)

v) engage with SHA and PCT boards to ensure that they challenge the unfair funding formula.

vi) actively support Steve Webb, Shadow Health Secretary, with evidence of any detrimental impact of changed model of care (hospital at home).

Proposer: Mike Ninnmey

Summator: To be advised

Amendment 2

Add after (iv)

v) Vigourously search for, identify and publicise covert reductions in service.

vi) Insist on public consultation

vii) Campaign for stability and equible funding for the NHS

Proposer: Nigel Offen

Summator: To be advised