Calls for council to consult over NHS £500m cost cutting plan

THE public must be made aware of the consequences of NHS plans to pull more than £500m from its budget in Hampshire, say campaigners.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Dec 2016, 06:01 BST
Updated 14th Dec 2016, 13:32 BST
Councillor Luke StubbsCouncillor Luke Stubbs
Councillor Luke Stubbs

Retired teacher Penny Foskett said Portsmouth City Council should publish the full details of the latest Sustainability and Transformation Plan – a strategy looking at healthcare across the county – on its website and consult with residents over whether it should be endorsed.

Despite Tory deputy council leader and public health boss, Cllr Luke Stubbs, recently leading calls for Healthwatch to consult over the document, Ms Foskett says there’s scepticism over whether the organisation will do so, and the council should do more.

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She said: ‘Hundreds have signed a petition about this lack of consultation.

‘This is calling on the council to publish the STP plan on the council website so we can all see the impact on our local services.

‘How can the council consider these huge cuts to social care, amounting to nearly £2m, at the same time huge cuts are proposed to the NHS locally as well?

‘We already face a huge crisis in the NHS.

‘The buck is being passed back and forth, with us residents in the middle, while no-one is placing the blame on the real culprits, the government.

‘We call on the council to consult the public over the STP and publish details of the plan.’

Related topics:NHSPortsmouth City CouncilHampshireHealthwatch