Cutting health services people rely on to save money

Last year IVF treatment in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire was cut, barring two exceptions, for all residents.

But, the £700,000 of savings that brought is a drop in the ocean compared to the additional money our health services would have if they received the same levels of funding per person as the English average.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - which is responsible for hospital and emergency care, and community and mental health services - receives the fourth lowest amount of funding per person out of all 207 CCGs in England.

Our CCG said that if it received the same rate of funding as the national average, it would have had an additional £30.3 million a year to spend on services in the 2017/18 financial year.

A spokesperson said: “Historically, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has faced funding challenges. In 2017/18 the CCG received 2.94 per cent (£30.3 million) below its target allocation for programme costs excluding delegated commissioning for GPs.

“The population of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is growing rapidly. Our population is diverse, it is ageing, and it has significant inequalities. There are also more people with long term conditions, such as diabetes, and there are higher levels of obesity.

“However, we do have a budget of £1 billion to spend on healthcare and as a system we want to work more closely to manage these financial pressures. We also need the public’s help to use health and social care resources wisely.”

Adrian Marr, director of finance for NHS England Midlands and East, said: “Funding for CCGs varies across the country but is linked to the particular health needs of their population.

“This funding is reviewed each year by the NHS England board and allocations adjusted accordingly. All funding allocations are published once they have been agreed.”

Peterborough City Hospital