Health decisions must be based on quality not cost
Posted by Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, at 10:11, Fri 23 November 2012:
It has been great to welcome three new colleagues to parliament this week: the new MPs for Cardiff, Corby (which Labour won from the Tories on a massive swing), and my parliamentary next door neighbour, Lucy Powell in Manchester Central.
All have got stuck straight in, asking questions, making speeches, and raising issues that affect their constituents. Lucy has already brought up the subject of the privatisation of the North West Ambulance patient transport service.
I am really shocked that the contract was awarded on the basis of cost, even though NWAS scored better on quality. Elderly or disabled patients can have particular needs, and will want to be confident that the person picking them up to take them to or from hospital knows about lifting and handling, understands if they need a bit more time to get in or out of a vehicle, and will treat them with dignity and respect.
I also learnt this week that the contracts for the provision of community health services, like orthodontics and community mental healthcare, have been awarded to a mix of different providers.
None of them is a private company, but some are new to Trafford. Central Manchester Foundation Trust will be responsible for maxillofacial orthodontics; the other services will be provided by Greater Manchester West mental health trust and Pennine Care Foundation Trust.
There will inevitably be some chopping and changing while the new providers take over the contracts, but it's vital that patient care isn't disrupted. I'll be asking for meetings with the providers at the earliest opportunity, and I'm particularly interested in their plans to help design the integrated care we've been speaking about in Trafford.
There's still an enormous amount of change going on in the NHS. As well as the consultation on our local hospital services, I was alarmed to read that the out of hours GP service which has provided cover for some of the local GP practices is being transferred to NHSDirect from Mastercall - just as NHSDirect announces substantial staff cuts. Again, I'm very concerned that this is a decision based on cost not quality. There have also been worrying reports of patients being directed from A&E at Trafford General to the walk-in service, even when they're not registered to use it. And constituents have contacted me because it also seems as if some treatments are being rationed.
David Cameron said the NHS was safe in his hands, but it plainly isn't the case. We've lost more than 1700 nurses in the North West since the coalition government came to power, and he's never delivered on his promise of 3000 more midwives.
We have the opportunity to ask questions of Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, in parliament next week. If you've had difficulty getting the treatment you need, I'd very much like to hear from you.
Kate Green
Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston Shadow Spokesperson for Equality
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