Primary Care Trust admits to £24m deficit
December 17, 2009 11:04 AM
Originally published by Watford Liberal Democrats
Originally published by Watford Liberal Democrats
Hertfordshire PCTs admitted on 16 December that they were expected a shocking £24m deficit on their budgets up to the end of March. They have not explained how this amount has accumulated, but admitted that they were now seeking £28m of cuts to try to bring their finances back to order.
Sal Brinton, Watford Liberal Democrat Prospective MP, said "This news is completely unexpected, but I am already hearing from residents worried that their GPs have told them that they cannot be referred to hospital consultants for anything other than the most urgent items. This is the effect of their £28m cuts. I believe that GPs have been issued with a list of matters that they can refer. If your illness isn't on the list, you won't get a referral until after April 2010. This is scandalous. Delaying treatment is likely to cost the NHS much more in the long run, and is very short sighted. It also makes a complete mockery of the targets system so beloved of the Labour Government.
"We needs three things to happen.
"First, we deserve to hear what has gone so badly wrong, and an explanation as to why. The PCT's behaviour yesterday at the Hertfordshire Health Scrutiny Committee, where papers were held back and circulated at the meeting without full explanation following questions by the Liberal Democrats is an insult to the system of public scrutiny.
"Secondly, I believe there needs to be an urgent inquiry, with its findings to be made public, so that lessons can be learned from this fiasco.
"Third and finally, we need to see this list of banned referrals for treatment, to understand the impact on ill people in Watford and West Hertfordshire."
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