Backdoor NHS Merger Would Lead to Cuts in Eastleigh and Test Valley

12.52.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 28th May 2004

NHS Merger Would Lead to Cuts

A proposal by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority to merge the management teams of three local primary care trusts was slammed today by MEP Chris Huhne as a 'backdoor way of cutting health provision in the area'.

Mr Huhne, who is the prospective parliamentary candidate for Eastleigh for the Liberal Democrats, said that the Labour Government-controlled body was planning to make further cuts in current spending levels as it was running over budget, but these should not be in areas like Eastleigh and Test Valley that are keeping to target.

'The management merger of Eastleigh and Test Valley PCT and Mid-Hampshire PCT - both now on financial target - with a big overspending PCT like the New Forest would merely dump the New Forest's problems on the rest of the health area' said Mr Huhne.

'Management would be looking for savings across the three PCTs where at present they have a problem with just one. That means backdoor cuts in Eastleigh, already hit by the Labour-controlled body's proposals to save £500,000 a year by closing the Mount hospital.

'Even though health officials will say that each PCT would retain its own accountability to its board, the reality is that managers cannot be the servant of three masters. They would be running all three as if they were one, and this would just be the beginning of a further centralisation of the local NHS.

'There is no reason why the PCT management teams cannot collaborate and share specialist expertise in areas such as investment planning and public health initiatives where they can, but a merging of the management teams would mean a merging of decision-making which would hit hard at Eastleigh and Test Valley and Mid Hampshire.

'The document also says that the changes 'can be implemented relatively swiftly without the need for formal public consultation or drafting of statuatory instruments'. That is precisely the opposite of what should happen. We need a wide public debate to understand the full implications of the proposals. The Strategic Health Authority must not try to brush these proposals under the carpet.

'The Strategic Health Authority admits that full organisational mergers have not been effective, but it then goes on to propose what would in the end amount to the same thing. Once a PCT board no longer has a dedicated management team, the managers will inevitably have divided loyalties. They will not be working just for the health of the residents in the PCT area' said Mr Huhne.

'This is yet another example - following the absurd proposals to centralise a fire and rescue control room to cover a population of 8 million people in the South East - of the Labour Government attempting to centralise public services. All the evidence suggests that we need to decentralise if public services are to be accountable and effective' said Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne recently chaired the Liberal Democrats policy commission on public services, which pointed out how centralised British public services are compared with our continental partners, and argued for more decentralisation. The proposals were adopted as Lib Dem policy at the autumn conference 2002.