The true cost of our hospital is astounding (From Worcester News)

The true cost of our hospital is astounding

11:06am Tuesday 5th December 2006 in

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SIR - I was astounded to read that the government's PFI funding for the £87m hospital is costing us £942m (Worcester News, December 1).

For the government to take the credit for our state-of-the-art hospital when we have to cough up £855m pounds more than the real cost is absolutely immoral.

Little wonder that the trust is finding it difficult to stay solvent. Just think how much our health service could be improved if that £855m could be spent on health.

So where is it all going? I can only assume that it pays the interest for the loan that the Government saddled us with in the first place.

The irony is that there are so many flaws in the service that the new hospital is supposed to provide. This should not be taken as a criticism of the whole service. There is much that can be shown to have improved.

Unfortunately though, the logistics of the new facility leave a whole lot to be desired and, in fact, are causing an even greater drain on the hospital's financial plight.

An even greater irony is that the Government, instead of helping the trust cope with its flawed health policy, imposes financial penalties on it if it fails to stay in the black.

Meanwhile, we have to stump up an unnecessary £855m because of our own Government's incompetence.

Perhaps Michael Foster could persuade his colleagues to rectify this very costly situation.

David Clark, Worcester.