Latest Update: 14th May 2007 A new director of public health has been appointed for the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust.Μύ Dr Peter Brambleby takes up his post with the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust in July. He says his role will be to keep health improvement at the forefront of everything the PCT does. 19th April 2007 The North Yorkshire primary care trust has again faced criticism, this time from the Craven, Harrogate and rural district public and patient forum group. Back in January the group wrote to the trust stating that it felt promises made before the merger had not been kept. The forum also said it was concerned that cost cutting measures introduced to help the PCT pay off its 35 million pound debt could compromise patient care. Members of the forum now say the response it got to that letter wasn't satisfactory. In reply North Yorkshire and York primary care trust have released a statement saying as it moves forward with it's health service modernisation and financial recovery plans it will continue to consultΜύwith partners such as the patient and public forum groups. 12th April 2007 YORK HOSPITAL We heard this week that York hospital's neurology ward is being considered for closure. Hospital bosses have said that due to the contract between the North Yorkshire Primary Care trust and the Hospital being a lot smaller this year, savings had to be made. One of the possible areas of saving money at York hospital is the closure of ward 38, the neurology ward. This has caused massive concern amongst patients and voluntary organisations like the York and District branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society who came on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio York's breakfast show to tell us how vital the ward is in caring for patients with neurological conditions. In response Mike Proctor the director of nursing and chief operating officer at York hospital said βa decision had not yet been made about ward 38 but it's certainly one of the options we're looking at". 6th April 2007 The future of North Yorkshire's health service for the next few years has been set out. The board of the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust met on Thursday 5th April to discuss how its financial recovery plan is going and whether it has achieved its target to reduce its debt to Β£35 million at the end of the financial year from a starting position of Β£48 million six months ago. FINANCES Members of the board were told that the Primary Care trust was expected to be Β£35 million in debt with a recurrent underlying debt of Β£40 million at the financial year-end. The recurrent debt means that if the way healthcare services are provided in North Yorkshire don't change then Β£40 million more debt will be accrued. We also heard that this year the Government will be giving the PCT Β£100 million of additional resources. Much of this money will go towards settling the debt and setting up financially viable healthcare provision for the future as the Government funding for the following year is expected to be a third less. The Primary Care Trust is expected to be out of debt by 2009 and to be generating a surplus of 1% by 2010. But the board was told to achieve these targets savings have to be made. Only core national targets are to be met and healthcare will become more community based. HEALTHCARE SERVICES The directors of the board set out their vision for the future of health care in North Yorkshire. There will still be hospital beds for those in need, but more investment will be poured into developing community services in clinics and GP surgeries. It's hoped this will save cash as people will get help closer to home and avoid expensive hospital stays.
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Local medical committee and the patient forum groups are still meeting with the PCT to finalise how these services will work. 30th March 2007 As the end of the financial year approaches, the North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust will give some indication of whether it will have reduced its debt to the target of 35 million pounds.
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The final figures will be available in June when the accounts are released, currently with a budget of around 890 million pounds the overspend stands at 4 percent. On April 5th the Primary care trust board is meeting in Harrogate. On the agenda is the state of the financial deficit and the future structure of healthcare in North Yorkshire. But for now the cuts continueβ¦ Recently the trust has announced that prior approval is now needed for any oral surgery or orthodontic treatment. This means if your dentist recommends you for this kind of treatment you will need to go through an exceptions panel and only those deemed exceptional will approved. The PCT says the suspension is in place for 3 months while the situation is assessed. In other news York hospital has also been awarded foundation status. It means the hospital will be able to borrow and spend money as it wishes, which should make it more responsive to local need. The changeover happens on Sunday April 1st. Chief Executive, Jim Easton said, βThis is excellent news.ΜύBeing an NHS Foundation Trust will help us in the challenges and opportunities ahead.ΜύWe will still be a member of the NHS family, but have the freedom to manage our own affairs to innovate and improve.ΜύIt will bring staff, patients and the public into the running of the organisation as members and governors. Achieving Foundation Trust status is a tough test for all hospitals.ΜύWe have done it against a background of our main commissioner, the PCT, having one of the largest deficits in the country.ΜύThis is a particular tribute to the strengths of the hospital, and the work our staff do to provide high quality patient care.ΜύThe success of this application is an accolade to their work.β We want to hear from you. Have you been a victim of the cutbacks, have you had treatment or an operation cancelled and have these changes affected your life? If so, we want to hear from you. You can get in touch by filling in the form at the bottom of this page. | 
