Save Hinchingbrooke Hospital

Why Are We Here?.............

£40 million in perspective...................

The reason used by the Commercial Director or by layman's terms.....the Outsourcing Manager to Privatise the NHS for East Anglia, was that because Hinchingbrooke was labeled as a "failing" hospital due to it's £40m deficit, nothing more. We know they hospital is highly rated by the Care Quality Commission and is one of the countries Top 40 hospitals....
Now, what they don't say is how that deficit came to be, well it was due to the Government changes in policy and the boundaries of the Strategic Heath Authorities and the Primary Care Trusts. In basic terms, Hinchingbrooke was promised activity by nearby PCT's to commission work for the hospital so they decided to manage this promised work then they would build a Treatment Centre, via the preferred at the time, PFI model.
In essence the Trust accrued this Historic deficit and in reality there is NO WAY that this will ever be repaid, whoever manages the Trust. With the 3.5% reduction in the tariff each trust receives as of 1st April 2010, then ALL trust will have to make savings on that basis alone........yet alone the 3rd year of the NHS staff pay agreement to fund too.
ALL Local NHS Trusts are looking at savings as I write this, none of them are immune, so how will a profit making organisation make a profit for their shareholders?....... they wont..... Unless there are swinging cuts to services.
But the SHA claim that Hinchingbrooke's assets will remain in the NHS, the Staff will remain in the NHS, the A&E will be open and so will Maternity and Cancer services........so why would you want to privatise the management of Hinchingbrooke....... well it's a political pawn....nothing more and a dangerous move.

In 2006 we marched through the town to Save the Hospital, I said at the time even if we keep the Trust open then something else will emerge from the shadows.
We had a PCT consultation from where the ill fated and unworkable Option 2 emerged. Yes we were right once again......it has failed miserably.
Where is the Care In The Community that Dr Denis Cox promised us.....No where, the elderly are now back in Hinchinbrooke and we have reverted back to pre 2006 times again....Well done Hinchingbrooke....again

The PCT need to get real....very real..... they have split up their operation to have a Commissioning arm and a Provider arm....and it still doesn't work.....they have several operating bases.....WHY...there should be one central county base....in or around Huntingdon......cut staff in a big way too, this will reduce their debt too.
The main issue locally is that we get a lower allowance per person than in other areas, in fact it is half what other areas get, so in an expanding area we are short of funding before we even turn a light on........
The PCT claimed that too many people were being referred to Hospitals, now their latest plan is to have clusters of GP's who will be given capped funding and they would "police" who will be referred to which Hospital (this goes against Patient Choice) and therefore how many will NOT be referred as the money is tight?....
But where is the community care that was promised......no where..... still as it was......
Why is the Oak Tree Centre......yes the one where some minor surgical procedures would be done in the primary care setting........ having the treatment rooms used for offices?...... Only Dr Cox and his PCT colleagues can answer that...... and how will they make savings....?

So Back to £40m........... it is not such a big deal........

THE GUIDED BUS (WHICH IS STILL NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS) .......

IS NOW £40M OVERSPENT.....

SO DO WE NOW PRIVATISE LOCAL GOVERNMENT?........ on the basis of Hinchingbrooke then we should...............

COME ON ........STOP THIS EXERCISE TO PRIVATISE HINCHINGBROOKE NOW.......

KEEP MARK MILLAR AT THE HELM....

WRITE OFF THE £40M DEBT.....

RETHINK LOCAL SERVICES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE......

LOBBY GOVERNMENT FOR THE CORRECT FUNDING LEVELS......

KEEP YOUR HOSPITAL AND NHS.........PUBLIC......