6 THE closure of Worcester hospital beds should come as no surprise considering the policy of the health authority.
They've made clear at public meetings that the assessment of bed numbers required has more to do with the money allocated than of clinical need and follows continued deprivation of funds.
Since New Labour was elected promising "to save the NHS" the situation has become much worse - outpatient waiting lists have doubled from 248,000 to 496,000. The number of hospital beds has fallen by 5,276. Last year, a record number of nearly 57,000 people had ops cancelled on the day of admission.
It is not surprising that the service has deteriorated to such an extent while the real-term increase in spending has been 0.7 per cent. Even John Major managed 3 per cent.
The continued neglect by New Labour does follow the record waiting lists under the Tories when the number of nurses fell by 50,000.
Married to a hospital consultant, I am constantly reminded that staff suffer from stress-related illness, low morale and poor working conditions.
MIKE HADLEY,
Parliamentary Spokesman,
West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats,
Malvern.
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