WORCESTER Trades Union Council (WTUC) have reacted with anger in response to plans by local doctors group the CCG, to consult the public over potential changes to health services in a bid to find £25 million worth of savings.
The response comes after an appeal by local doctors, calling for residents to complete a survey, operated by Worcestershire County Council, to help them decide on healthcare priorities and decide what areas could be subject to potential changes as they look to do things differently to address future funding gaps.
Every year the CCGs are tasked with making efficiency savings through doing things either better, differently or simply more efficiently and this year they have been set the target of making £25m in efficiency savings from a combined budget of £71m.
Pete McNally, chair of WTUC, said: “I cannot believe local doctors really want to destroy Worcestershire’s health service this way.
“These cuts have come from Jeremy Hunt and the Conservative government. This is the same government which has found plenty of money for income tax cuts for the better off, tax cuts for big companies and reductions in capital gains tax.”
The Trades Council point out these planned cuts are on top of cuts to local health services including those to mental health against which the trade unions are already planning demonstrations.
Mr McNally added: “We are aghast at what is happening to destroy health services in the county.
“We have asked the local CCG to call a public meeting but they seem very cool on the idea. Well, we will and we will invite all those who are fundamentally opposed to these cuts to join us to plan how best they can be resisted.”
The Trades Council is working to finalise the details for the meeting which is understood to have been earmarked for April 20. Visit www.southworcsccg.nhs.uk for more information.
