Letter to York Press: NHS Cuts

8.05.00am GMT Wed 8th Nov 2006

Dear Sir

Hugh Bayley is wrong to say that services to patients at York Hospital are not being cut. One of the many examples of services being cut is the planned reduction in the number of hip and knee replacement operations. Other examples include the proposal to reduce primary care counselling services and the plan to cut grants to the voluntary and independent sector.

Mr Bayley is trying to pull the wool over residents' eyes if he is suggesting that the PCT can reduce its staff by 200, cut 60 primary care beds and 16 intermediate care beds without a reduction in services to local people. He is simply defending Patricia Hewitt and Gordon Brown, the people who have the power to step in and provide funds to preserve local NHS services.

Given that the PCT has been forced to cut millions from its budget, it is a bit rich for Mr Bayley to say that the Government is putting extra money into the NHS in York.

Yours faithfully

Cllr Madeleine Kirk

Parliamentary Spokesperson

York Outer Liberal Democrats