The resource allocations announced this week are fine and dandy for
areas which fit the measures of deprivation used by the Department Of
Health. In this rural area of Suffolk, our funding last year was only 0.5%
above target, and in cash per head of population was the 27th lowest in
the country. Over the next 2 years we move from 0.5% over target to 3.5%
below target, and we will remain in the lowest 27 out of 303 Primary Care
Trusts in the country . This level of funding discriminates against the
population of West Suffolk. It is difficult to see how a system that
struggles to deliver targets within current resources can cope with real
terms contraction of its funding relative to other health systems in the
country. Rural deprivation is real, but seems to be unmeasured, and the
DOH is not interested in assessing rural deprivation. Our communities are
small and ignored. So much for aspiring to equity and equality in health.
Rapid Response:
Health funding allocation disadvantages some
The resource allocations announced this week are fine and dandy for
areas which fit the measures of deprivation used by the Department Of
Health. In this rural area of Suffolk, our funding last year was only 0.5%
above target, and in cash per head of population was the 27th lowest in
the country. Over the next 2 years we move from 0.5% over target to 3.5%
below target, and we will remain in the lowest 27 out of 303 Primary Care
Trusts in the country . This level of funding discriminates against the
population of West Suffolk. It is difficult to see how a system that
struggles to deliver targets within current resources can cope with real
terms contraction of its funding relative to other health systems in the
country. Rural deprivation is real, but seems to be unmeasured, and the
DOH is not interested in assessing rural deprivation. Our communities are
small and ignored. So much for aspiring to equity and equality in health.
Competing interests:
PEC Chair Suffolk West PCT
Competing interests: No competing interests