Email from Peter Bone MP
Posted by Peter Bone, MP for Wellingborough, at 09:46, Tue 25 April 2006:
NEWSLETTER FROM PETE BONE MP
Member of Parliament for Wellingborough and Rushden
March 2006
Healthcare in Wellingborough was the number one issue last month and I thought it would be useful if I updated you on my campaign so far.
I have been campaigning for some time now on NHS waiting times for in patient operations.
On 30th November 2005 at Prime Minister’s Questions the Prime Minister stated that from the end of November 2005 there would be a 6 month maximum waiting time for an NHS in-patient operation.
This was a guarantee to sick people that they wouldn’t have to wait more than six months.
On December 1st 2005, I raised a point of order indicating that there were 437 patients at Kettering General Hospital waiting more than six months.
In fact, there were only five hospitals out of 205 hospitals in the whole of the country that had more people waiting over six months for an NHS operation than Kettering General Hospital.
I wrote to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health on this point and was advised that the maximum 6 month wait for operations was to come into effect on 31st December 2005, NOT on 30th November 2005.
The Secretary of State for Health in a letter to me dated 7th December 2005 stated and I quote ‘by the end of 2005, the maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant will fall to 13 weeks and the maximum waiting time for in-patient treatment will fall to six months.’
And in a Parliamentary answer to me on 14 February 2006, the Health Minister, the Honourable Member for Doncaster Central said and I quote: ‘at the end of December 2005, there were no patients waiting more than six months for inpatient treatment at the Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust.’
However, on that very same day I received another parliamentary answer from the other Health Minister, the Right Honourable Member for Liverpool Wavertree who stated that scores of patients were waiting longer than six months for inpatient admission at the end of December 2005.
That Parliamentary answer referred me to the Department of Health’s web site for detailed figures per hospital trust.
This showed 48 patients waiting more than twelve months for their operation. So much for the Prime Minister’s six month guarantee.
I was amazed that out of all the patients mentioned in the parliamentary answer, Kettering General Hospital NHS Trust was showed as having no patients waiting more than six months.
When I know that there is at least one patient in Wellingborough who has been waiting more than six months.
So how many more patients who are actually waiting more than six months have not been disclosed?
I raised these points in a Westminster Hall debate which was granted to me by the Speaker and was held in the House of Commons on 1 March 2006.
The debate was entitled ‘NHS Healthcare in North Northamptonshire’ and was attended by Phillip Hollobone MP, Member of Parliament for Kettering and the Health Minister Caroline Flint.
In the debate I also talked about the severe lack of funding that the Government gives to Kettering General Hospital. In fact, the Minister herself admitted that Kettering Hospital is underfunded by the Government’s own funding formula.
I will continue to campaign for a fairer share of funding for healthcare in Wellingborough.
My goal is to see a community hospital in the constituency with at least minor accident and emergency facilities. A hospital that will benefit ill patients in Wellingborough and relieve pressure on Kettering General Hospital.
If you would like to see the full transcript of my debate in Westminster Hall, please go to: http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060301/halltext/60301h04.htm#60301h04_head0
The proposed County Council budget is a big local issue at present.
The current Administration at County Hall was elected on a mandate not to increase council tax by more than the rate of inflation. They were elected last May with a large majority.
However, a lot of the Council’s expenditure comes from the Government in the form of a grant. Last year that grant was increased by £7 million or 6.4 per cent to cover inflation.
This year, after the change of Administration, the grant was increased by £2.6 million or 2.1 per cent. This very small increase by the Government is well under the real rate of inflation for the County Council and has forced the Administration into making another number of financial savings.
The County Council has made every effort to make these savings in areas which will not affect core services.
However, I am particularly concerned to ensure that vital services within the constituency of Wellingborough for vulnerable people are not curtailed.
The issue of the Cranwell Resource Centre and respite care in general is of considerable concern within Wellingborough.
I have received many representations from constituents regarding the proposed budget and have duly passed on comments and views to the County Council.
I have also written to the County Council summarizing the views expressed as part of my Listening Campaign and have been very encouraged by the way the County Council has listened to the people of Wellingborough.
I am continuing to have my weekly MP advice surgeries in the constituency on a Friday or Saturday. If anyone would like an appointment to see me, I can be contacted on 01933 279 343. In addition, my Wellingborough Office is open most weekday mornings for constituents to drop in.
If you would like to get in touch with me at anytime I can be reached by telephone on 01933 279 343, by post at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA or by email at bonep@parliament.uk
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