MP's Commons debate on Oxfordshire NHS crisis

11.14.43am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 17th Nov 2005

Dr Evan Harris Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon has secured an urgent debate at 4:30pm today on the NHS cash crisis gripping Oxfordshire, forcing Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for the Health Services, to respond.

Dr Harris speaking in the Commons

Dr Harris will outline the huge cash deficit facing Oxfordshire and demanded that the Government respond to the devastating cuts facing Oxfordshire's front-line patient services including:

• the closure of the acute psychiatric in-patient service at the John Radcliffe (Barnes Unit) with the loss of consultant posts.

• the closure of the in-patient pain service beds at the Churchill Hospital

• the closure of an orthopaedic ward at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

• the cuts in the services for disabled children (Learning Disabilities Trust)

• the continuing threat to community hospitals

and the impending cuts yet to be announced to meet the Strategic Health Authorities financial targets.

"It is remarkable that after 8 years of a Labour Government the main thing that patients, doctors and nurses are all talking about now is the prospect of appalling cuts to front-line services due to a cash crisis. What we know about so far - and this makes up only a fraction of the £30million that have to be found - are the closure of the acute psychiatric in-patient service at the JR, the closure of the in-patient pain service beds at the Churchill, cuts to the Horton in Banbury, the closure of an orthopaedic ward at the NOC, and cuts in the services for disabled children." said Dr Harris.

Dr Harris will also question the fairness of the formula imposed by the Strategic Health Authority on Oxfordshire trusts. This formula is based on workforce, which impacts negatively on mental health and learning disabilities.

Finally Dr Harris will raise with the Minister the plan to contract out the management of commissioning services for the proposed Oxfordshire PCT, in particular:

• the merits of such a plan

• the consultation on such a plan by the Strategic Health Authority

• the involvement of the Department of Health in the formulation of this proposal

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Read the full text of the debate here.