Health services to lose £8 million

HEALTH chiefs in Warrington will lose more than £8.18 million a year as a result of changes to the NHS funding formula, MP Helen Jones has claimed.
She says the changes, brought in by the Coalition Government, will see areas with the highest levels of deprivation lose millions from their healthcare budgets, with wealthier areas benefiting from the change.
The Warrington North MP (pictured) says new calculations by health expert Professor Clare Bambra show that NHS Warrington stands to lose over £8.18 million a year – £41 per person.
The same rule-change will see Surrey’s NHS gain over £400 million.
Department of Health considerations, revealed by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley last month, would introduce an age related funding model for the NHS.
In a speech he let slip that deprivation should not be taken into account when setting budgets and greater focus should be given to age and population size, according to Ms Jones.
She said: “The Tories have let slip that they are planning a cynical, politically motivated, and unethical attack on the NHS in Warrington. Under the Tory’s plan to drop deprivation as a basis on which funding for the NHS is allocated Warrington will lose out to areas like Surrey which stand to gain hundreds of millions.
“The study by health expert Professor Bambra highlights the single biggest attack on improving public health in Warrington. Deprivation has a massive impact on the demand on our NHS and it is scandalous for the Government to consider no longer taking this into account. Local hospitals and patients will struggle, whilst the money is directly channelled to areas where there is least need and people already live longest.
“This Government is attacking the NHS from every angle – thousands of nursing jobs are being axed and waiting times area spiralling upwards.
“Last week the Department of Health revealed a 41 per cent increase in Warrington of people who waited longer than 18 weeks for operations since this Tory-led Government came to power. NHS patients deserve better.”