NHS care fears

Ryedale MP John Greenway and City of York council social services and health chief Coun Sue Galloway have voiced concerns after it was announced four local primary care trusts (PCTs) would merge into one.

It has also emerged millions of pounds in debt facing the new body could be repaid using a central funding pot into which health trusts are paying 2.5 per cent of their budget.

Mr Greenway said: "This change is what we were expecting - but that doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. We are returning the whole system to what we had before, not too many years ago. That was considered unsatisfactory at the time. They have changed it once and now changed it back again."

Coun Galloway said: "My first priority is that any changes must not reduce patient care in the York area. Currently, the Selby and York PCT serves 277,000 residents. The new proposed larger PCT will cover a population of 705,000 residents, and therefore may not be able to respond as effectively to their needs.

"Secondly, I have real fears that the costs of this latest reorganisation will take funds from frontline services. Any reorganisation takes a huge amount of time, staff resource and money. Cuts to health services in York have already been made, and I am worried that this latest shake up will mean health provision is further reduced or rationed.

"To try to rush through such an enormous programme of reorganisation in a few short months seems foolhardy, and I would like to see the timescale for implementation extended."

New PCT transition leader Penny Jones said one of the new organisation's strengths would be bringing together functions like contracting and performance management, allowing it to work with doctors and become a stronger services commissioner.

She said: "Now we have received approval from the Department of Health we can move forward with a lot of the work that has already taken place to ensure a smooth transition to the new organisation on 1 October 2006.

"One of the major successes of all four current PCTs is that we have been able to work with local authority colleagues and other partners on a local level at addressing the individual health needs of particular areas, and we have made a commitment that the new organisation will continue to have that strong local focus."

'Patient-led' move

HERE'S what the Department of Health says about "super" PCTs.

A spokesman said: "The new PCTs will be better organised to commission services that best suit the needs of their local population.

"These changes will also put more power into the hands of GPs and other frontline NHS staff and give them a greater say on how services can be delivered around the needs of their patients.

"We do not accept that patient care will suffer. Commissioning a patient-led NHS is about improving patient care. Stronger commissioning will ensure that patients benefit from the right care, and can access this more conveniently and more quickly than ever before.

"After completion, the reconfiguration is expected to deliver savings of £250million every year for reinvestment in frontline services.

"PCTs are likely to prioritise investments in the Government's manifesto commitments such as additional palliative care services, improving access to cancer services and developments in mental health services."

Residents concerned after foreign treatment ruling

LOCAL health bosses say they will take their lead from any national changes in NHS policy, after a pensioner won a landmark European ruling.

Bedford grandmother Yvonne Watts won a victory in the European Court of Justice, when it ruled that British patients facing an "undue delay" in home treatment could be reimbursed if doctors agreed it was medically justified to send them abroad.

Mrs Watts, 75, had hip surgery in France in 2003 after being told she faced a lengthy wait for the operation in Britain - which was later to reduced to three or four months.

She has battled in the courts to win back the £3,800 cost of her operation, but whether she experienced "undue delay" and should be reimbursed has not been decided.

When we took to the streets of York to ask shoppers what they thought of the ruling, some locals feared it could severely affect the NHS.

Sarah Parker, from Poppleton said: "I can't see how the NHS can stay maintained if this is the case."

And Karen Waddington, from Burnholme said: "I'm not happy with the NHS. I think they should do it here, in our own country."

The Department of Health said: "Today's judgment clarifies the previously-existing entitlement to hospital treatment abroad at NHS expense under certain circumstances.

"As has previously been the case, we expect to continue with a system that requires any patient who wants to travel abroad for elective hospital treatment, paid for by the NHS, to be authorised to do this by their local healthcare commissioner before they receive treatment."

HELEN TURNER asked people on the streets of York if they thought the NHS should pay for operations abroad.

Wendy Davison, of Huntington said: "We should be able to cope here without having to go abroad."

Sheila Doig, of Huntington said: "We should be able to have operations in this country. It's stressful enough going away."

Susan Jenkins-Clarke, of Walmgate said: "I think the NHS should get waiting lists down, and appoint more nursing and medical staff."

Barry Barker, of York, said: "I came back to this country three years ago and I've had two knee replacements. I feel fortunate to be in the country."

Updated: 10:54 Thursday, May 18, 2006