Dismay as NHS care revamp ‘plunged into farce’

NHS managers face accusations landmark plans for sweeping changes to services for 800,000 people in the region have been plunged into “farce” after they yesterday failed to set out long-awaited proposals to transform care.

In a highly-unusual move, dismayed non-executive directors of NHS North Yorkshire and York branded as “hugely disappointing” a report setting out 12 themes for future changes instead of an expected shortlist of options to transform services which have been mired in a decade-long financial crisis.

Critics also expressed anger that taxpayers had forked out £320,000 for work from experts at management consultants KPMG which helped in drawing up the report.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Health services in the county must make at least £55 million in savings in the coming year but there are concerns financial problems will only worsen without major reforms amid indications officials are struggling to secure a consensus between doctors, hospitals and other NHS organisations over the way forward.

Board members had been expected to approve the report but instead agreed to accept it as there was nothing to approve.

Coun Jim Clark, chairman of North Yorkshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee, said the county was no nearer solving the financial problems affecting its NHS services and branded the proceedings in York a “farce”.