Planned cuts to NHS in London leaked

The Guardian is reporting of longer waiting times and closures in London, after seeing secret NHS plans to impose unprecedented cuts to health spending in the capital.

An internal NHS document, seen by the title, claims the 10 hospital trusts in north-central London are facing ‘difficult choices’ in order to address a £183.1 million gap in their finances, with the choices likely to lead to that fewer patients will be referred to hospital and support for people with severe health needs will be cut as part of the plan.

It is likely to result in patients having to wait longer than the maximum 18 weeks for planned operations, an increase in the rationing of care through patients being denied access to certain but still unspecified types of surgical treatments, and hospital units being downgraded or shut altogether as a result of ‘potential service consolidation’ across the 10 trusts leading to the centralisation of key services in fewer places.

The document outlines how the ‘capped expenditure process’ will hit the provision of NHS care to approximately 1.44 million people across a number of boroughs, with the cost-cutting measures set to affect the Royal Free, University College London and Great Ormond Street children’s hospital, among others.

As reported in Health Business earlier this month, North West London is one of 14 areas reported to be on course to miss agreed ‘overdraft limits’, with senior managers urged to ‘think the unthinkable’ in terms of impending cuts.

Also quoted in the Guardian, Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth said: “Theresa May’s underfunding of our NHS now means services cut and rationed, patients forced to wait longer for treatment, and a postcode lottery where healthcare varies depending on where you live. These ‘capped expenditure process’ plans are in reality a Tory NHS ‘hitlist’ drawn up in secrecy during the election campaign.

“Now we learn detailed proposals for north London involve shocking restrictions on care quality and access for patients. This weak and unstable Tory government expects NHS bosses to put finances ahead of the best interests of patients.”