This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Clean slate for health services
19/05/2005
Radical steps to secure long-term health services for
patients in the NHS Argyll and Clyde area have been
announced today.
Under plans to go out to public consultation in June,
responsibility for the services provided for the people of
Argyll and Clyde would be shared between NHS Greater
Glasgow and NHS Highland, and funding would be set aside by
the Executive to write off the accumulated deficit.
Patients will continue to access local services and go
to the nearest appropriate hospital as they do at
present.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"What matters most to me is protecting services for
patients. It's not about boundaries.
"Now is the time for a clean slate and a fresh start, to
put services in Argyll and Clyde on a stable footing and to
start building better services for the future.
"NHS Argyll and Clyde's financial problems have been
well documented. The consistent annual deficit has steadily
accumulated over recent years, despite the progress made by
the current management team. This has put real strains on
local services.
"It is apparent that the geography of the NHS Argyll and
Clyde area is simply not a natural area for a single health
board. I don't believe that either a straight financial
bail-out or expecting the management team to work within
the challenging set of current boundaries would work.
"At the same time, conclusions emerging from Professor
David Kerr's group point us towards wider regional
groupings of health services. We now have the chance to
make the region a benchmark in modern services for the
rest of the country to follow.
"This review will provide Boards with an opportunity to
take a truly radical, modernising approach to service
provision. But our approach must be to ask what we can
deliver safely and sustainably in the local community and
how we can maintain local services.
"This move will create a better structure for planning
patient services and will remove the immediate uncertainty
over patient services in the area. And we will support the
new boards as they work to build better services for the
future.
"I should also be clear that the proposal to redraw
these Board boundaries is intended to speed up the rate of
modernisation in these areas. It is not intended to re-open
the debate on decisions that have already been taken. That
would merely set back the implementation of important
improvements in Argyll and Clyde, Glasgow and
Highland."
Mr Kerr went on to outline the financial challenges
which still lie ahead. He said:
"In order that Highland and Greater Glasgow are not
disadvantaged by taking on the responsibilities of the
former Board, the Executive will write off the accumulated
deficit.
"However, the challenge will still remain for NHS
Greater Glasgow and NHS Highland to restore financial
balance in the area as quickly as possible. I will now
look to all three boards to ensure that the plan is
implemented on time. They have assured me that, in doing
so, non-clinical savings will be maximised."
Up to £80 million is being set aside to cover the
accumulated deficit of Argyll and Clyde.
The boundaries of the new Board areas will be subject to
public consultation.
Professor Kerr's report on a National Framework for
Service Change is expected next week.