Local Tories have attempted to muddy the water recently in Greenwich. Proposing for the Council to fund an Urgent Care Centre says more about their lack of understanding of both Health funding and Local Health Provision. Fortunately local residents can see through their strategy which is to divert attention away from their party’s destruction of the Health Service.
Clinical Commissioners in Greenwich, despite financial pressures, are seeking to deliver improved community services across the Borough. The Urgent Care Centre at the Queen Elizabeth is diverting some pressure away from the A&E. Additional services will help further reduce numbers. These improvements continue despite the level of funding being reduced by Government.
The Royal Borough is playing its part. The Integrated Care Service is helping to reduce the number of patients staying longer in Hospital than is necessary. Clearly the reduction of eighty beds at the QE as part of the Trust Administrator report adds to the pressure.
The significant contribution by Public Health , now part of the Council’s responsibility, is having a positive impact. Linked to the Council poverty strategy, we are developing policies to improve the Health and Well Being of Greenwich Residents. For example the health checks carried out in recent months have seen a big increase in the take up.
All of the work being done could fall apart if the proposed merger of Acute Services requires additional funding. We await to see the proposed business plan. Rumours suggest that the Trust Administrator report on the funding strategy may have not been accurate.
Every opportunity will be taken to spell out Government failures in the area of Health policy. Maybe local Tories can explain why £2bn has been taken out of the NHS by a Government who wants us to believe that this service is safe in their hands.