NHS Cuts Come To Surrey

SURREY COUNTY LABOUR PARTY

 

Cuts so far announced to Surrey’s Health Services Undermine 

Cameron’s Promise to Protect Health Services Here.

 

Any expectation that health care in Surrey will remain untouched by the coalition’s misguided austerity drive is now being revealed as being untrue. Both in Government and Opposition Cameron and his Health Secretary have made repeated promises the NHS Budget would be ring fenced –

 

“We’ll cut the deficit, not the NHS”

 

Among the examples coming from all over the country two from Surrey stand out. At Frimley Park Hospital dozens of children with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome are about to lose the support of their consultant and nurse specialising in the condition. In the search for savings in a tightening budgetary situation both professionals are not now being replaced.

 

At Ashford a monthly surgery bulletin from Dr Peter Kandela a local GP advises his patients of three money saving measures his surgery is about to undertake. Some of his patients are being switched from their usual medication to other branded drugs on the basis that they are cheaper and will save the NHS money. GPs have been told by the local Primary Care Trust to stop issuing long term repeat prescriptions and to place a two month limit on the prescriptions they write. Ashford and St Peters Hospitals have stated that they will no longer accept reference for non-malignant moles, cysts, skin tags and other non-cancerous conditions. Although these are not life – saving activities they do relate to patient’s quality of life.

 

Dr Mark Porter chairman of the British Medical Association points to continuing evidence of job losses as proof that the NHS is being downsized through budgetary cuts – Source Guardian 28th December

 

The worrying aspect of this is that when Primary Care Trusts disappear decisions on spending in the NHS will be made on the basis of budgetary pressures and not the needs of Surrey patients. 

 

 

Murray Rowlands 01276 27367