Did financial problem lead to operation delay?
Gordon Henderson has written to the Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley CBE MP, asking him to raise in Parliament the case of a Sheerness woman whose operation has been delayed for financial reasons.
Gordon said:
‘I was approached by Simon Cairns after his wife visited hospital earlier this week and was told that she needs her tonsils removed. Originally, Mr Cairns contacted our local MP’s office, however, after receiving a less than sympathetic hearing he came to me for help.
‘The facts of the case are that Mrs Cairn’s consultant told her that he could undertake the operation in four weeks, however, because of financial constraints she would have to wait until the next financial year for the operation. So the earliest Mrs Cairns could expect to have her tonsils out is next April!
‘Whilst Mrs Cairn’s condition is not life threatening, she and her husband are concerned that this case is just the tip of an iceberg and I share their concerns.
‘I wrote to Andrew Lansley to highlight this case because, with all the financial problems currently being faced by Swale Primary Care Trust, I am concerned that residents in Sittingbourne & Sheppey who need non emergency operations will find themselves on a lengthening waiting list.’
…ends…
Enc: Copy of letter to Andrew Lansley CBE MP
Contact numbers: Gordon Henderson (as below)
Simon Cairns – 01795 661312
Andrew Lansley CBE MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA 24th September 2005
Dear Andrew
I would be grateful if you could raise in Parliament, perhaps by way of a question to the Secretary of State, the following complaint from a constituent, Mr Simon Cairns (who has given permission for publicity and whose details are available on request).
Mr Cairn’s wife recently visited our local hospital and was told that she needs to have her tonsils removed. The consultant said that he could undertake the operation in four weeks time, however, he was unable to do so because of financial constraints and Mrs Cairns would have to wait until the new Financial Year for her operation.
Whilst Mrs Cairn’s condition is not life threatening, she and her husband are concerned that this is the tip of a very large iceberg and that other people, with more serious conditions, might be faced with similar delays, which, apparently, have been caused by a £12 million overspend at Swale Primary Care Trust.
At a time when we are being told the Government is pumping ever greater sums into the NHS, why is it that our local PCT has been forced to put into place a financial recovery plan to solve the problem?
Currently, the Medway NHS Trust (from whom Swale PCT commissions services) is, and I quote from the PCT’s plan, “significantly over-performing against the 2005/6 plan, in out-patients, elective and non elective admissions”. As part of the financial recovery plan the PCT will enforce, through its Service Level Agreement with Medway NHS Trust, “that waiting times are only brought down to the national target level and not beyond”.
So, even though the local NHS Trust has the proven ability to reduce the waiting time for Mrs Cairns, and even though the surgeon is available, she will have to wait, in some discomfort, simply to allow accountants to balance the books! That simply cannot be right.
Mr Cairns initially approached the office of our local Labour MP, however, after receiving a less than sympathetic hearing, he came to me for help. I would be grateful for any help you can give to highlight this unacceptable situation.
Yours sincerely
Gordon
GORDON HENDERSON
Political Advisor and Media Spokesman
Sittingbourne & Sheppey Conservatives