The Welsh Select Committee’s inquiry into “cross-border” public services continues to fascinate.
Today, we heard evidence from Mr Tom Taylor, an impressive, bluff northerner who is the chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Royal Shrewsbury hospital (where, incidentally, Sara trained) serves a large area that straddles the border. 60,000 people in Powys are its potential patients.
Mr Taylor explained that English primary care trusts pay on a “payment by results” basis, whereas Welsh commissioners operate a block payment system; the Trust is losing £2 million per annum as a consequence.
He also touched on the theme that has already been repeated by several witnesses: that Welsh-resident patients can expect to wait considerably longer for treatment than English residents, because of less ambitious target waiting times in Wales.
Mr Taylor suggested that an element of the Welsh block grant sufficient to provide for payment to English providers at the full rate should be ring-fenced. This would ease the financial difficulties of English hospitals. It might also result in improved waiting times for Welsh patients. This is an interesting suggestion and deserves further consideration.
What is certain, however, is that disparities in health funding are breeding resentment on the part of both patients and providers. This, in itself, is unhealthy. It should be addressed.
Today, we heard evidence from Mr Tom Taylor, an impressive, bluff northerner who is the chief executive of the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust.
The Royal Shrewsbury hospital (where, incidentally, Sara trained) serves a large area that straddles the border. 60,000 people in Powys are its potential patients.
Mr Taylor explained that English primary care trusts pay on a “payment by results” basis, whereas Welsh commissioners operate a block payment system; the Trust is losing £2 million per annum as a consequence.
He also touched on the theme that has already been repeated by several witnesses: that Welsh-resident patients can expect to wait considerably longer for treatment than English residents, because of less ambitious target waiting times in Wales.
Mr Taylor suggested that an element of the Welsh block grant sufficient to provide for payment to English providers at the full rate should be ring-fenced. This would ease the financial difficulties of English hospitals. It might also result in improved waiting times for Welsh patients. This is an interesting suggestion and deserves further consideration.
What is certain, however, is that disparities in health funding are breeding resentment on the part of both patients and providers. This, in itself, is unhealthy. It should be addressed.
4 comments:
Do MP's get given private health cover?
No.
Tom Taylor is a first rate Chief Exec, who has done the almost impossible by turning around the finances of the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospitals Trust. Your judgement is good. He has been a great help to me over recent years in understanding the compexities of cross border issues.
"He has been a great help to me over recent years in understanding the compexities of cross border issues"
All wasted time now of course, seeing that Glyn is no longer elected to anything.
Glyn's last post on his blog is about wet tea shirts, and Fiona Shackelton!
I kid you not, randy old goat!
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