Health/Wellbeing Boards, Councils unanimously reject NHS ‘sustainability’ plan | The SKWAWKBOX
![[Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA].](https://voxpoliticalonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/161126-NHS.png)
[Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA].
What’s this, then?
The ‘Health and Wellbeing Boards’ (HWBs) of Liverpool and Cheshire West and Chester, together with Wirral Council’s ‘Overview and Scrutiny Committee’ and Sefton council in the north of Merseyside, have unanimously rejected the government-imposed ‘STP’ (Sustainability and Transformation Plan) for Merseyside and Cheshire. Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has indicated that Liverpool City Council will also reject the plan, which will involve reducing the area’s NHS budget by a staggering £540 million over the next two years.
These organisations join a growing list of councils and HWBs, including Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, Hammersmith & Fulham and Ealing, in rejecting “secretive” closure plans.
NHS England, ordered by the government to find £20 billion in ‘savings’, describes STPs as “a new approach to help ensure that health and care services are built around the needs of local populations”, but Liverpool’s local STP lead has, according to Mayor Anderson, frankly admits that “the changes are all about cost-cutting” and that, while supposedly still in the ‘consultation’ phase, contracts have already started to be negotiated and even awarded under the STP.
Liverpool’s Mayor also disclosed that, when challenged about how services could possibly be maintained, she suggested that councils should cover it by borrowing, “as they can get good rates”.
Liverpool City Council has already suffered budget cuts of 58% since 2010, with a further £19m about to be cut by government. Borrowing even to maintain essential council services will be difficult, let alone to patch holes in the NHS – but this is the mentality of those tasked with implementing STPs.
Source: Health/Wellbeing Boards, Councils unanimously reject NHS ‘sustainability’ plan | The SKWAWKBOX
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Words are all well and good but its cash the NHS wants the cash the tories are robbing it of
Criminal
The final chapter of the lets privatise the NHS book has been written and this is it.
There will be public consultations, I have been on several, however they are ignored and just a formality of the process of being seen to consult. Councils who are conservative led will follow the Cons lemming format of ensuring the NHS fails and the robbing privateers move in and grab the money. If more local Councils would for once put aside their political views and act for their population, as they are supposed to be doing, then things would improve for saving the NHS. This is just a covert diversion moving the bulldozer from central to local responsibility where the local Councillors generally have not got a clue or follow their leader no matter what the consequences. This joined up approach does not work it has been tried in joining Social Services and Medical teams together like chalk ‘n cheese. Lots of asset consolidations, disposals and redundancies with many giving up and taking the redundancy and early retirements however service goes down the pan with much demoralisation of the rank ‘n file who actually do the job on the ground whilst the management levels swell and prosper. Wake up Councils represent your local populations.