York Lib Dems support Press health campaign

Written by Madeleine Kirk and published in The Press on Thu 1st Feb 2007

Liberal Democrat Councillors Madeleine Kirk and Steve Galloway have spoken up in support of The Press campaign on health.

The Liberal Democrats support the calls to scrap the prior approval panel, believing that local health professionals should be able to make decisions in the best interests of their patients.

Cllr Madeleine Kirk, who has been campaigning on local health cuts, said "I am backing the Press campaign, and hope that the PCT will listen to the concerns of local people. More importantly, I hope the government will rethink NHS finances, because ultimately the health of local people is going to suffer due to a lack of resources.

"We are really starting to see the effects of the health postcode lottery. Many of the treatments which are being restricted here in North Yorkshire and York are available in Leeds or East Yorkshire. Doctors there are able to use their own judgment."

Cllr Steve Galloway, Leader of City of York Council, said "The Lib Dems are happy to support the Press campaign. We have been campaigning against local health cuts for a long time, and hope that this initiative will help to draw national attention to the seriousness of the PCT's financial situation."