NHS cuts twice as likely in Tory and Lib Dem areas
Following Health Direct's lead in Sept 25, 2006 NHS closures rigged in Labour voting constituencies and the Times last week: Oct 16 Hospitals in Tory seats are 'targeted for closure' the Sunday Telegraph has now come to the same conclusion: that hospitals in Conservative and Liberal Democrat constituencies are more than twice as likely to suffer from NHS cuts as hospitals in Labour voting seats.
Thirty-four per cent of Tory and 37 per cent of Lib Dem seats in England and Wales have been affected by cuts that have been either announced or proposed. Only 14 per cent of Labour areas are affected. The cuts range from the closure of single wards to the axing of entire hospitals.
The findings follow news that Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, commissioned "heat maps" to show the potential political effects of proposed hospital closures, and figures showing that seven times as many cottage hospitals have closed or are under threat in Opposition-held areas than in Labour ones.
In response, the Government has denied that it is "playing politics" with the health service.
However, the Sunday Telegraph's findings, calculated by analysing hospital cuts that have been publicly announced or proposed, will re-ignite the debate about the handling of the Labour Government's much-trumpeted NHS reform plans.
Last night, Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, said: "It's bad enough that there are nationwide cuts to frontline NHS services, but it adds insult to injury that Labour are manipulating cuts to save their own political skin. Patients and healthcare professionals must come first, but Labour can no longer be trusted to do this.
Steve Webb, the Lib Dems' health spokesman, said: "The way the dice seem to fall is very suspicious. It would be outrageous if decisions about cuts and closures were manipulated for one party's political advantage, but this, I believe, is what's happening."
Michael Summers, of the Patients' Association, said: "If political considerations are driving the changes, it is completely unacceptable."
A spokesman for Ms Hewitt said: "We're shifting services to areas where the health needs are greatest, which are commonly in urban areas," he said. "These happen to be mostly Labour seats. Decisions are driven by clinical needs. There is no political meddling."
The full story including NHS cuts heatmaps can be found at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/22/nhealth22.xml
Thirty-four per cent of Tory and 37 per cent of Lib Dem seats in England and Wales have been affected by cuts that have been either announced or proposed. Only 14 per cent of Labour areas are affected. The cuts range from the closure of single wards to the axing of entire hospitals.
The findings follow news that Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary, commissioned "heat maps" to show the potential political effects of proposed hospital closures, and figures showing that seven times as many cottage hospitals have closed or are under threat in Opposition-held areas than in Labour ones.
In response, the Government has denied that it is "playing politics" with the health service.
However, the Sunday Telegraph's findings, calculated by analysing hospital cuts that have been publicly announced or proposed, will re-ignite the debate about the handling of the Labour Government's much-trumpeted NHS reform plans.
Last night, Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, said: "It's bad enough that there are nationwide cuts to frontline NHS services, but it adds insult to injury that Labour are manipulating cuts to save their own political skin. Patients and healthcare professionals must come first, but Labour can no longer be trusted to do this.
Steve Webb, the Lib Dems' health spokesman, said: "The way the dice seem to fall is very suspicious. It would be outrageous if decisions about cuts and closures were manipulated for one party's political advantage, but this, I believe, is what's happening."
Michael Summers, of the Patients' Association, said: "If political considerations are driving the changes, it is completely unacceptable."
A spokesman for Ms Hewitt said: "We're shifting services to areas where the health needs are greatest, which are commonly in urban areas," he said. "These happen to be mostly Labour seats. Decisions are driven by clinical needs. There is no political meddling."
The full story including NHS cuts heatmaps can be found at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/22/nhealth22.xml
posted by Wise Money at
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