LOCAL HEALTH ISSUE

£30 million reduction in the spending of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust - loss of 720 jobs across three hospitals - Kidderminster, Worcester and Redditch.

How can you take £30 million out of the budget and reduce one in seven staff without affecting patient care?

The District Council's task group will co-ordinate the Council's opposition to these cuts and call upon the County Council Health Services Scrutiny Panel to conduct an immediate scrutiny exercise into the detailed implications of the proposed reductions.

Why are we in this mess?

· Firstly - because of the actions of both Conservative and Labour Governments. The Health Service has had to cope with 28 reforms since 1982. How can any organisation cope efficiently when it is constantly being subjected to change?

These changes have been ill planned, ill thought out and either uncosted or inaccurately costed.

· Secondly - the people who downgraded Kidderminster Hospital (supposedly to save money) were the same people who then agreed to the Private Finance Initiative contract for the hospital at Worcester.

· Thirdly - the Hospital Trust has been allowed by the Government to conceal its real financial position by 'creative accounting methods'.

Dr. Richard Taylor, M.P. (Wyre Forest), says