independent Cornish news and comment

Carrick: TAYLOR HOLDING HEALTH MINISTER TO ACCOUNT

Following news that Royal Cornwall Hospital is to axe 300 jobs as well as close wards and theatre to meet Government demands to save £9 million, local MP, Matthew Taylor, has written to the Secretary of State for Health demanding a meeting to discuss the basis for the funding of Cornwall’s NHS, which is currently linked to Cornwall’s low wages.


The Labour Government’s decision to fully link funding to low local wages – a measure strongly opposed by Mr Taylor – has lost Royal Cornwall Hospital over £10 million a year. The hospital management is now being required to live within the reduced budget.

Commenting, Matthew Taylor MP said:

“The Health Minister said only this week that she is responsible for all her department does, and I intend to hold her to account. Cornish people already have to put up with the lowest wages in country, but the Government is now penalising our essential NHS services because of it. This has got to stop and I will do everything I can to get the Government to realise the dire consequences their reckless policies have on local people.

“Last year I met the Health Minister and persuaded her that a review of this unfair system of tying hospital funding to local wages is needed. That is now underway, but has yet to report. I am shocked that the Hospital is being forced to make these cuts to meet an unfair funds cap that even the Government accept is under review. I have requested to meet the Minister again because the message obviously hasn’t got through – and I will not stop until it does.”