Vale Pledges Support For National Health Campaign (Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats)

Oxford West and Abingdon Liberal Democrats <info@oxwablibdems.org.uk>

Vale Pledges Support For National Health Campaign

August 7, 2006 1:59 PM

Vale Councillors have backed a motion supporting the Keep our NHS Public (KONP) campaign, which is campaigning against cuts to local services across the country and the increasing use of private healthcare provision within the health service.

Some examples of private health care provision within the NHS have been unsuccessful and highly costly to local health service providers. An example quoted at the Council meeting was the highly costly and now abandoned mobile opthamology unit, which only dealt with 10% of the cases planned and which contributed to the significant budget deficits faced by Primary Care Trusts in Oxfordshire.

The deficits these organisations face threaten existing services across the county, including Community Hospitals in Wantage and Abingdon.

The KONP campaign is supported the Royal College of Nursing, health sector unions and by local residents from most political parties and from none but the meeting recognised the input Oxford West and Abingdon MP, Dr Evan Harris, who has publicly lent his support to the campaign. The meeting expressed the hope that other local MPs would also support the pressure group.

Cllr Andy Crawford said: "This is a welcome endorsement for a non-party campaign which seeks to safeguard free local healthcare services for everyone. The backing of Evan Harris MP is a major boost to the campaign locally and we really need a cross party consensus on this vital issue which affects us al equally."