Local Health Funding boost welcome but overdue

16.12.02

Edward Davey, Liberal Democrat MP for Kingston and Surbiton, has welcomed news of Government funding for the Kingston Primary Care Trust (PCT) for the next three years but has expressed concern that the money must be well spent and not wasted on bureaucracy.

Kingston PCT funding will rise by 29% over three years, slightly less than the national average.

Commenting, Mr.Davey said:

"I am pleased to see that Kingston PCT's funding will get a much needed increase, but there is such a backlog of work that this cash will soon be used up.
"This extra investment should have been provided by the Labour Government five years ago when the Health Service really needed it after 18 years of Tory neglect . Yet at least the Government is now trying to make amends for starving the NHS of funds in the last Parliament.

"Now the Government has provided this funding it must also give the Primary Care Trusts the freedom to allocate the money. The Government claims to be devolving decision making powers to local authorities but it is still stifling health care professionals in targets and tape.

"The Government must match the funding it gives Kingston with more freedom so that the local Primary Care Trust can spend it entirely according to the needs of local people and not waste it on bureaucracy."