We'll let the people decide, top Tory vows on Wycombe Hospital (From This Is Local London)

We'll let the people decide, top Tory vows on Wycombe Hospital

11:35am Thursday 12th November 2009

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FAMILY doctors and patients will have a greater say on services provided at Wycombe Hospital under a Conservative Government, its top health boss said.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said a Tory Government would “encourage” the hospital authority to get foundation status, introduced under Labour, where thousands of residents can join and elect members to a watchdog.

This would give it “greater autonomy” he said after meeting party members who are fighting for improvements. Labour today blasted the claims.

The hospital been hit by the removal of A&E, pregnancy and children’s services, spurring The Bucks Free Press to re-launch its Hand Back Our Hospital campaign.

Mr Lansley added: “A future Conservative Government would also give patients greater choice and local GPs the ability to control patients' budgets, so that the services provided at Wycombe Hospital can be those sought by local GPs and public.”

And he said the party would “ensure a fair NHS funding formulae”. Managers have said they get less cash than other parts of the UK as Buckinghamshire is seen as “healthy”.

Click the link at the bottom of the story for Mr Lansley and Mr Goodman's full statements.

This would ensure that “resources are matched to need and access to healthcare for those who are ill is not disadvantaged relative to other parts of the country” Mr Lansley said.

The Bucks NHS cash crisis is the “albatross” around the neck of managers, said Wycombe Conservative MP Paul Goodman, who yesterday met Mr Lansley with Tory councillor Darren Hayday and election hopeful Steve Baker to call for action.

Mr Goodman said: “I thought that what he had to tell us on the funding front was basically good news.”

Cash would be tight in “the next few years” he reported Mr Lansley saying, but once national NHS funding had settle “resources would once again be allocated on the basis of need”.

He blamed funding changes in 2004 and said: “The result, as we know, has been cuts and closures at Wycombe Hospital – forced through over the head of local opinion by managers brought in from outside. “ The MP said the “key question” was whether local people would, if given more power, conclude that there were enough births to justify full services at Wycombe. Doctor-led births and overnight pregnancy and children’s care left the hospital last month.

The hospital is managed by Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which also covers Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury. Mr Goodman wants Wycombe to have its own trust so it is not “coupled” to Stoke – but said Mr Lansley gave “no indication” this was likely.

Mr Baker, selected last month as the Wycombe Tory candidate, said: “We had a positive meeting. It is really only tempered by our knowledge of the horrifying financial situation the country is in.”

Liberal Democrat election hopeful Steve Guy said: “I’m pleased that Andrew Lansley is supporting our campaign”.

He said his party would have directly elected health authorities instead of foundations and establish an independent body to dish out funding.

Labour candidate Andrew Lomas said the Conservatives had “opposed every improvement to the NHS” under Labour and warned of Tory pledges to cut spending.

He said: “I don’t see how you can make things better by spending less on them.”

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