George seeks reassurance during period of change in Cornish NHS

The MP for the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St Ives, Andrew George, will press Health Minister, Anna Soubry MP, for reassurance that Cornwall’s decades long underfunding will be addressed and that critically important NHS services will not be disrupted nor put at risk as a result of the Government’s re-organisation or greater competition from private health companies.

In his short debate tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday 11th December at 4pm), Mr George has indicated that he will raise questions on a range of health services and challenges for the local NHS.  He will express concern that providing NHS services could become more challenging if the Government’s re-organisation creates uncertainty and turmoil.

Mr George will raise questions about the Royal Cornwall Hospitals’ legacy debt, the low tariff payment to Cornish hospitals for procedures (the lowest in the country), nurse staffing levels, out-of-hours GP services, protecting younger women from cervical cancer, the future of NHS dentistry, medical transport to the Scillies and other matters.

Mr George said, “I am full of praise to those local GPs, clinicians, nurses and other health professionals who are prepared to step up to the plate and to work their socks off to make sure that the Government’s ill-considered health reforms do not damage our NHS in Cornwall.  However, as we prepare for the rollout of the new system in spring 2013, it is important that ongoing concerns can be registered and a dialogue commenced.

“Although I argued and voted against the Government and its Health Bill, unfortunately we failed to stop it.  Now is the hard work to make sure that Cornwall’s NHS does not end up fragmented and undermined; nor continue to be underfunded in contrast with the rest of the country.”