A TRADES union group has reacted with anger to plans by local doctors organisation the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to consult the public over potential changes to health services in a bid to find £25m worth of savings, writes Beth Wright.
The response from Worcester Trades Union Council (WTUC) comes after an appeal by local doctors, calling for residents to complete a survey, operated by Worcestershire County Council, to help them decide on healthcare priorities and decide what areas could be subject to potential changes as they look to do things differently to address future funding gaps.
The three Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups (NHS South Worcestershire, NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove and NHS Wyre Forest CCGs) are responsible for buying healthcare services for the county’s residents and, with an increasing demand for services, are unable to continue buying them in the same way as previous years.
“At some point in the future it’s simply not going to be possible to continue buying all the services that we currently do, so we need to find ways of reducing what we spend but also make sure that we’re protecting essential services,” Dr Simon Rumley, of NHS Wyre Forest CCG said.
But the consultation has been met with anger by the Worcester Trades Union Council (WTUC).
Pete McNally, chair of WTUC, said: “I cannot believe local doctors really want to destroy Worcestershire’s health service this way.
“These cuts have come from Jeremy Hunt and the Conservative government. This is the same government which has found plenty of money for income tax cuts for the better off, tax cuts for big companies and reductions in Capital Gains Tax.”
The Trades Council stated the planned cuts are on top of savings to local health services including those to mental health against which the trade unions are already planning demonstrations and are now working to finalise the details for the meeting which is understood to have been earmarked for April 20.
Dr Carl Ellson, for NHS South Worcestershire CCG, added: “We’re really keen that as many people across the county take part in this survey. It’s important that we hear from the people using these services so that we can make informed decisions that meet the needs of local patients.”
The survey can be accessed and filled in via the ‘Get Involved’ section on each of the CCG websites.
