PRESS RELEASE…PRESS RELEASE…PRESS RELEASE…PRESS RELEASE…PRESS RELEASE…
FINCH-SAUNDERS: Aberconwy AM on the case of NHS bailout
Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy and Shadow Minister for Local Government and Communities, has today tabled a written question to the Minister for Health and Social Services, Lesley Griffiths AM, regarding the recent announcement by the Welsh Labour Government to plug an extra £82million into indebted Local Health Boards out of the existing Health budget. This is after a Wales Audit Office report highlighted that NHS Wales Local Health Boards were between £70million and £131million in debt.
Out of this sum, £50million will be taken from a contingency fund and £32million from "project slippage" in capital expenditure funds.
Janet has also written to the Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Mary Burrows, to seek assurances about forthcoming projects at Llandudno Hospital.
Janet said "While this announcement appears to be assisting Local Health Boards, I am concerned that "project slippage"
may
include a review and reduction of the proposed work at Llandudno Hospital. I am seeking assurances from both the Minister and Betsi Cadwaladr that the £48million set aside for vital Llandudno Hospital improvements will not be included in this reduction in capital expenditure."
Notes to Editor:
Written Statement from Lesley Griffiths AM, 5th December:
Lesley Griffiths AM:
"I have decided to allocate an additional £82 million to the NHS from resources within my own budget. This additional funding will be met from within my contingency reserve, with an element also being transferred from available resources within my capital programme. The review identified a likely underspend against planned capital expenditure for this year, due in part to project slippage, but also to ensure that future expenditure is aligned to the outcome of the consultation on our service change plans…"
Full Statement available at:
Response by Lesley Griffiths AM to the Health and Social Care Committee, 5th December (Agenda Item 2) – see
http://www.senedd.tv/archiveplayer.jsf;jsessionid=7FC6A3250133C8BCB17D243FC872A613
From a response by Lesley Griffiths AM to Urgent Questions at Plenary on 5th December 2012:
Lesley Griffiths:
I will confirm that I will not put the capital budget on hold in order to fund revenue. The sum of £32 million was transferred from capital to revenue. You heard my director general say this morning that there had been project slippage. That money would have been paid back if we had not had that transfer…
Full document available at:
Full written question from Janet Finch-Saunders AM to the Minister for Health and Social Services:
Following the announcement to provide £82 million to finance Local Health Board debts, will the Minister provide details on which capital expenditure projects will be reduced, and can the Minister confirm whether or not the projects at Llandudno Hospital will be part of this reduction?