Treasury blunder is set to cost Wales, Randerson reveals

11.10.35am GMT Thu 16th Nov 2006

A Westminster-led initiative in the NHS in Wales has gone wildly over-budget, but the Treasury have refused to meet the cost, Welsh Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Jenny Randerson has discovered.

"I questioned the Health Minister in Committee this week about Agenda for Change, a UK government plan to restructure pay for NHS staff. The costs have risen way over budget in Wales.

"Because of errors in the way staff pay and holidays are calculated, there is a shortfall of ?17 million, which would normally be covered by the Treasury.

"However, the Health Minister made it clear that the Treasury will not be paying the cost of these errors, leaving Wales and the Welsh NHS out of pocket. He knows that this puts the already indebted Welsh NHS in a difficult situation.

As we all know, any budget constraints are going to lead to constraints on care, at a time when we are striving to provide better treatment for patients in Wales.

"Worse still, ?17 million is almost enough to plus the gap in Health Commission Wales finances and improve acute patient care. The Welsh NHS is losing out thanks to the Health Minister's Westminster colleagues.

"The Minister seems to have accepted the bad deal for Wales without much of a fuss. I want to see him fighting much harder for a better deal for Wales."

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WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS DEMOCRATIAID RHYDDFRYDOL CYMRU