Report to the People
NHS Trust Plan
Last week, when the Greater Glasgow Health Board were called before the Public Petitions Committee to explain their refusal to consult with the public and why they attempted to impose their will on the people in the East End of Glasgow, a strong message was sent out to QUANGOs. It was made clear that these public bodies are accountable to both the Parliament and the people.
Which brings me neatly on to Argyll and Clyde Acute NHS Trust and their management team.
As has been reported in the Telegraph over the last two weeks, the trust have drawn up a secret document aimed at cutting £6 million from the Trust budget. £6 million they claim is necessary to make up a shortfall.
The plan, which, incidentally, was leaked to the press before unions, staff, patients and the local community even knew of its existence, is guaranteed to create a lack of confidence and a climate of mistrust.
It is especially unfortunate that this plan has been presented in such a way at a time when we are working very hard to maintain public confidence in the health service, as well as recognising that NHS staff must be properly rewarded.
The amount actually spent on health in Scotland will increase from £971 per head in 1999/00 to £1,212 in 2005/6. Our Programme of Government commits us to increasing NHS spending substantially in real terms in the coming years. The process has started with £300 million more for health next year, allowing Health Boards’ allocations to increase by more than 5% at a time of historically low inflation. We will invest £1.8bn in the NHS over the next three years.
The debate surrounding how we fund the NHS will undoubtedly continue. Irrespective of the eventual outcome of that debate, we need to ensure that Argyll and Clyde Acute NHS Trust, who are charged with delivering the service, accept fully their responsibility to properly and prudently manage their affairs in partnership with the community.
So the obvious questions, then, are: Where is the missing £6 Million, which they say demands cuts in our services? And where is partnership with the community?
I believe the Trust would be best served by letting what happened to Glasgow Health Board be a warning to them. They cannot think that they can impose their plans on us without any consultation.
Indeed, our community, as I have mentioned before in this column, already has a poor health record. It is essential that there is a degree of confidence in the NHS Trust management and in their ability to effectively tackle those health issues.
The Trust has to go back to the drawing board. This plan has been cobbled together and is based on financial assumptions. It is unlikely in its present form to receive support from the NHS employees, or the community it serves. It can only be described as a failure of management or a cruel wind-up.
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