Cut Away NHS Red Tape

10.55.48pm GMT Mon 31st Jan 2005

Lib Dem Parliamentary Campaigner, Michael Headley has launched a challenge to the government to end its meddling in Bedford and Kempston's local health services.

Michael Headley said:

"Doctors and nurses are highly trained and dedicated health professionals. Government ministers are not - yet they continually try to control in too much detail our local hospital, doctors, and nurses. Liberal Democrats in government will hack away the red tape, abolish absurd targets, and free our frustrated doctors and nurses from demoralising meddling - so they can put patients first."

Liberal Democrats predict that millions of pounds would be saved and be re-directed to patients and those who care for them.

Bedford Hospital faces a £1.4m overspend for the first half of this year. Liberal Democrats want to help hospitals, like Bedford, to be able to cut money spent on red tape and government directives so that they can prioritise services to patients.

Lib Dems claim that bureaucrats in Whitehall can never understand local needs as well as local people can.

Micheal Headley added:

"Local doctors and nurses should take clinical decisions - and local investment should be set by locally elected people who can be kicked out if they get it wrong. To make sure that funding gets to the front line and isn't held up in Whitehall, we will ring fence guaranteed funding for the NHS, by earmarking an NHS contribution out of the taxes people already pay."

Ends