Southport and Formby cancer support service cuts approved by local doctors
The savage cutbacks to the Macmillan Cancer Network in Southport and Formby have just been given the go-ahead by local doctors despite the protests of many former and current patients. The service provides necessary, non-clinical support to patients with a cancer diagnosis.
Requests from local councillors for the decision to be deferred until it received some public scrutiny were ignored even though Sefton’s Council Health Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to look at the issue in the autumn. The 70% staffing reduction imposed on the Cancer Network will not be implemented until next financial year.
Liberal Democrat councillor, John Pugh, who has asked the Council to examine the decision has described the decision of the Primary Care Network run by local doctors to press on with the cut as “disappointing”.
Kew councillor, Mike Kirby, has described the outcome as “ a slap in the face for an outraged public”. He adds, “This is a controversial decision made without consultation or proper explanation. All local councillors have been lobbied by their fearful constituents, but the decision lies in the hands of an unelected NHS quango which clearly does not embrace scrutiny.”
Much of the money given to the Primary Care Network comes from the remote and ever-changing Warrington based Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Board. They have cut the funds they hand the local Primary Care Network and are the primary funder of local NHS services.
“The absence of any democratic accountability in the use of taxpayers’ money is a huge worry, “ says John Pugh. "The Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Board is projected according to the Times to be spending £51million on adult services dealing with ADHD in the current financial year. Paying out that sort of money and forcing local cuts in cancer services and under-funding hospices is not reflecting our community’s priorities.Is it ? "
