GPs' fears over NHS healthcare cash (From York Press)

GPs' fears over NHS healthcare cash

9:28am Friday 10th February 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

THE influential group of GPs set to take over responsibility for spending millions in NHS money in York and North Yorkshire has warned there will be no extra cash.

The announcement came at the first public meeting of the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (VoYCCG), which will exist in shadow form before taking over the health budget from NHS North Yorkshire and York PCT when it ceases to exist in April next year.

Dr Mark Hayes, shadow clinical accountable officer at VoYCCG, said: “We will all be aware of the financial situation the world is in at the moment. There isn’t going to be any more money. So if you want something new doing we are going to have to stop doing something elsewhere.

“Whatever we are dealing with in an individual we have to balance against the needs of the community as whole.

“We have to always keep an eye on what things cost and do them in the best value possible.”

Dr Hayes also said the region faced a funding challenge from the increasing number of elderly people.

“The older you get, the longer you live and the more expensive your health care gets. People living longer is a sign of success, but it makes the burden more difficult,” he said.

The meeting this week in the Priory Street Centre in York saw about 70 representatives from the world of health and social care hear members of the VoYCCG promise to end the days of debt run up by the current PCT.

Dr Hayes said: “We make no apologies that we are trying to be the best commissioning group in the country.

“We have had bad press because of the overspends at the end of each year.

“We want to change that and for people to think of the VoYCCG as one of the best in the country.

“We want a seamless service. Not one where half a dozen people are coming down your driveway delivering more-or-less the same service.”