Lib Dems Voice Concerns Over PCT Reconfiguration in South Essex

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Oct 2006

"Thurrock Liberal Democrats have expressed concerns about the cost and impact of the recent reconfiguration of Primary Care Trusts in South Essex.

Peter Saunders, Chairperson of the local party, said: Thurrock Liberal Democrats support a reconfiguration of the Primary Care Trusts where they coincide with the same geographical areas for social-care provision because it is effective as a combined service under uniform control.

However, reorganisation for the sake of it is totally unacceptable. It would be a disappointing and meaningless exercise if the reorganisation of the PCTs' results in increased layers of bureaucracy, added costs or - worse - deterioration in services.

There needs to be evidence of savings. The resulting benefits should be clearly demonstrated by improved services, better delivery of healthcare, a streamlined organisation and more efficient management of resources for the benefit of our community.

Whilst the people of Thurrock are crying out for a General Hospital vast sums of money are being wasted on this reconfiguration.. Neither the former Thurrock PCT nor Thurrock Council have ever shown any meaningful interest in the proposal for a new General Hospital in Thurrock, nor made any formal request for land on which to build one.

In general we are concerned with the Government's obsession with reorganisation and the impact of the resultant costs on service-provision. The value added does not equate with the money spent on such exercises. And within Thurrock itself, the cost of setting up a Strategic Delivery Partnership with Vertex is estimated at £1,000,000; money that could and should have been spent on providing essential services for the Council Tax payers of Thurrock.

So perhaps someone will tell us:

1) How much it will cost to set up the new PCT;

2) How will that improve the level of services at the point of delivery?"