Give Cornwall’s hospitals real financial stability and fund them fairly – MPs
Cornwall’s hospitals will never be totally free of financial instability until the Government changes the way local health services are funded, according to Cornwall’s five Liberal Democrat MPs.
Responding to today’s (Wednesday) announcement of a five year plan of savings and PCT funding to wipe out the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust’s £56 million debt, the MPs said that while the RCHT staff should be congratulated for turning its finances around, the problem would not be solved in the long term unless the Government started funding health services fairly.
Currently funding is linked to low local wages meaning Cornwall’s residents receive significantly less funding per head than elsewhere in the country. Last month Cornwall’s MPs wrote to Health Secretary Alan Johnson to urge the Department of Health to give RCHT clarity over its debts.
Andrew George MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives said: “I welcome the news that the debt is being rescheduled in a more realistic way, however that does not deal with the main cause of Cornwall’s health problems – the unfair funding formula – which leaves Cornwall with significantly less funding per head than the UK average and far less than it needs.”
Matthew Taylor MP for Truro and St Austell added: “I’m pleased that the Government took heed of our advice and has given Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust a clear structure to its debt repayment, so that it can plan for the future and continue on its upward spiral. The next step is reform of the unfair funding formula, which was introduced under the Conservatives and still ties Cornwall’s NHS funding to low local wages – some of the lowest in the country. A fairer formula means better patient care, and ensures that our hospitals can stay out of the red for good.”
The Cornish MPs secured a review of the Government’s funding formula but there is still no news about when the review of NHS funding in Cornwall will be complete.
Dan Rogerson MP for North Cornwall commented: “Of course we welcome anything that brings financial security to local health services. But we need to make sure healthcare across Cornwall is protected. Many people rely on the services of Derriford Hospital, which also draws on Cornwall PCT’s resources. And mental health services across Cornwall need greater investment. Neither set of patients can afford to see vital cash diverted away to remedy Health Ministers’ fundamentally unfair funding formula for Cornwall.”
