In Monday’s BBC’s Panorama programme former senior Department of Health official Bob Dredge said that NHS patients are not receiving value for money despite unprecedented investment. Bob Dredge, who was programme director for financial reform at the department, said that in terms of productivity, value for money has been reduced.
Commenting on this programme, Southampton Itchen’s Liberal Democrat campaigner David Goodall said:
“Despite the Government’s reform it is clear that their plans are not working, with all the primary care trusts in the Southampton area reporting millions of debt. Yet I don’t hear a outcry from patients that money is been wasted on unnecessary treatments, normally the problem is quite the reverse.”
“The root cause of the funding problem lies in the over centralised and over bureaucratic management structure this government had layered on top of the frontline staff”
“The government must stop its meddlesome micromanagement and let the hard working doctors and nurses get on with the job of caring for patients.”
Also commenting on the same programme Liberal Democratic Shadow Health Secretary, Professor Steve Webb MP said:
“The big increase in funding for the NHS was necessary, but was not the whole answer. The money also had to be spent wisely and this Government has failed abysmally on that front.”
“Large amounts have been wasted in the costs of constant reorganisation which have destabilised the NHS and demoralised staff.”
“Financial imbalances built up over decades should not have to be corrected in weeks. This is not a rational way to run the health service.”