George presses Health Secretary on funding
The MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives, Andrew George, has called on the Health Secretary – Rt. Hon Jeremy Hunt MP – to review Cornwall’s serious under funding.
In Health Questions in the Commons Chamber today, he said that, “while many wealthy areas are over funded, Cornwall is being under funded more than anywhere else in the country. In the last 6 years it has received more than £200 million less than the Government says it should receive; and receives lower tariff for acute activities than anywhere else!”
Mr George called on the Health Secretary to look at the funding status of Cornwall which is putting intolerable pressure on frontline services.
The Health Secretary pointed out that decisions on health funding formula are a matter for independent bodies – the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA).
Mr George said: “The Health Secretary is right that the formula is set by an independent body, but in spite of Cornwall receiving a low funding formula, it also receives less than the Government’s ‘target’ for funding – more than £200 million less in the last 6 years alone!
“Clearly, we must press the Government to put right this under funding as it is undermining frontline services.”
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