John Penrose

Conservative Party | Weston-super-Mare

MP Welcomes PCT Funding Announcement

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose today welcomed North Somerset Primary Care Trust’s (NSPCT) announcement that it will get £12 million from the Strategic Health Authority to clear its historic debt.

For many years both North Somerset PCT and Weston Hospital have been accumulating financial deficits which are projected to reach £12 million and £5.4 million respectively this year. Weston is one of the only places in the country suffering from a ‘double deficit’ in both the local Hospital and PCT.

In November last year local MP John Penrose wrote to Government Health Ministers and the Strategic Health Authority's Chief Executive pointing out that the NHS has a £1.8bn national financial surplus this year, and asking for a small proportion (1%) of the money to be used to wipe out the historic accumulated debt of NSPCT and Weston Hospital.

Mr Penrose said:

“This is fantastic news. The accumulated debt has been a millstone around the neck of our local health services. Since the NHS has a huge financial surplus this year, it's only right that Government Ministers and Health Chiefs have listened to Weston's pleas and are using the money to wipe the slate clean and allow local health services to move on from the financial troubles of the past. That's why I wrote to the Government and the Strategic Health Authority last November. It means the PCT has a far better chance of living within its means in future, because they won't have to use cash to repay loans when it should be spent on patients instead.

“But we're not out of the woods yet. This is an important step forward, but it's a one-off correction which doesn’t solve the fundamental underlying problem that our local health service is still getting £9 million less every year than the Government’s own figures say it should. This isn’t fair on hard-working doctors, nurses and staff, or on local patients and their families either. I shall keep pushing Government Health Ministers to deal with this important and unfair situation too. If they've solved the historic debt problem, they ought to finish the job and deal with the funding too”.

PCT Chief Executive, Chris Born, said: “The PCT has made huge strides in improving its financial health. This is down to the very hard work of our staff and local GPs.

“We have met our financial control total and are now in positive ‘run rate’.

“In view of this, the SHA has been able to absorb the impact of our past deficit of £12 million.

“This now enables us to move forward, for the first time in many years, in positive financial health.

“This is great news for North Somerset patients, as we will be able to focus on improving NHS services and facilities.”