£20 million boost for town's NHS

HEALTH services in Warrington are to receive a £20 million boost over the next two years.
The extra cash from the government will help redress an imbalance between the amount Warrington has traditionally received for health services compared with many other councils.
It will mean Warrington’s NHS funding allocation will rise by seven per cent by 2015-16 – the biggest percentage increase in the North of England.
Warrington’s Clinical Commissioning Group – which is responsible for distributing NHS funds in the town – will receive an additional £8m next year and the year after. The Government is also making a further £4m available to better integrate health and social care services, taking the total budget for 2015/16 to over £250 million.
Warrington South MP David Mowat welcomed the news.
He said: “I’m delighted that Warrington’s NHS is getting the cash boost that it deserves.
“For over a decade Warrington has been penalised by health allocations which do not reflect need. I am pleased that at last this process is stopping and we will have the biggest increase in the North of England. It is a start to put things right – but the fight goes on.
“The Coalition Government made a commitment to increase the NHS Budget year on year, but we have only been able to secure that money because we have made difficult decisions on Welfare and on other areas of spending.”
Picture: David Mowat visits NHS staff.