 |
 |
 |
 |
Burstow steps up pressure for NHS to be fair to carers
January 14, 2010 7:57 PM
Local Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow, has stepped up the pressure on the Government and local NHS to make sure that money earmarked to pay for carers to have breaks and other support is actually spent on carers. He raised the issue in Parliament today challenging Commons Leader Harriet Harman to stop the NHS siphoning off money intended for carers.
Last year Mr Burstow challenged Sutton and Merton PCT bosses to spell out how they were using £364,000 given to them to pay for carers breaks. After months of silence the PCT finally published figures that revealed it had siphoned off £214,000 into other spending. In April the PCT will receive a further £726,230 for carers.
With the Government allocating a further £100 million to PCTs for carers in April Mr Burstow used an opportunity in Parliament to challenge Harriet Harman to guarantee that the money would get to the carers who need it.
Mr Burstow has also written to the PCT Chief Executive, Bill Gillespie, asking him to confirm that all of the £726,230 will be spent on carers and properly accounted for.
Commenting Paul Burstow said, "It is a scandal that the PCT has diverted so much of the money intended to help carers to other things. Carers have been badly let down. The fact it took months to force the figures out of PCT bosses is not acceptable. What carers and the public deserve is a clear commitment from the PCT that every penny of the money for carers over the next year is spent on carers services.
"I have asked the PCTs chief executive to publish a separate account of how the money is going to be spent and a guarantee that carers and carers organisations will be closely involved in making sure the money is spent in the most effective way possible."
ENDS
Note to editor
Text of email to Bill Gillespie:
Dear Mr Gillespie,
FUNDING FOR CARERS
As you know I remain very dissatisfied with the way the PCT handled the 2009/10 allocation of money for carers breaks. Despite repeated requests for information about how SMPCT were spending the £364,000 it took until the autumn to obtain it. Indeed I understand that the Princes Royal Trust for Carers had a similar experience with their FOI request.
I now understand that around £150,000 of the 2009/10 allocation has been clearly identified as going to carers support and services. This is not good enough.
However, with so little of the financial year remaining it seem sensible at this stage to concentrate on the future and the 2010/11 allocation of £726,230. Can you please set out in detail how this further allocation will be used, in doing so will you certify that every penny will be spent on carers support and services? To that end can you also confirm that in devising plans for these funds you are consulting with carers and carers organisation and that they will be closely involved in making sure the money is spent in the most effective way possible.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards
Paul Burstow MP
The borough's 19,000 carers are being left in the dark by local health bosses over how a £364,000 fund for carers is being spent.
Local Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Burstow, has challenged PCT bosses to come clean on how they have spent their share of £50 million fund to support carers. Requests from the MP have met a wall of silence and Sutton and Merton PCT is one of a handful of PCTs to fail to meet its legal obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and provide the information to carers charity the Princes Royal Trust.
Sutton and Merton PCT were allocated £364,352 to spend on carers services in 2009/10 and a further £726,230 in 2010/11. Research by the carers charity the Princes Royal Trust suggest that as much as £40 million of the £50 million has not found its way to carers services. 80% of new monies given by government to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in 2009/10 have not been used to increase support for carers as was intended.
Mr Burstow first wrote to the PCT asking for a breakdown of its spending plans in July, he chased again in September and most recently earlier this month.
Commenting, Paul Burstow MP said, "There appears to be a lot of confusion in PCTs about how they have used their share of the £50 million. It is clear that not all the money has made it through to services supporting carers. This must be sorted out and the Government must give a lead by telling PCTs how much of next years £100 million they have to spend on carers.
"It can't be right that local PCT bosses have failed to respond to a freedom of information request and the local MP. It gives the impression that the PCT is at best incompetent and at worst has something to hide. Either way its time that PCT bosses spelt out where the money has gone."
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats