Cllr John Mingay wrote to the Bedford Times & Citizen yesterday to voice his concern at the spiralling deficit of the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG), the body responsible for funding local NHS services.
His letter is reproduced below:
‘I was astounded to hear that the body responsible for organising local healthcare, the Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) has revised up its estimated spending deficit yet again by a further £800k to £28.8m. This follows an announcement earlier in the month that the deficit would be around £25m, which was then upgraded to £28m just two weeks later when the BCCG appeared at Bedford Borough Council’s Adult Services and Health Committee.
I and the Committee are disturbed by the extent of the deficit which is snowballing week by week. The appointment of a ‘turnaround director’ speaks volumes for just how serious the situation is. I am puzzled by the fact that the deicit has become apparent 9 months into the financial year. Did they not know about it, and if not, why not?
If the Borough Council were to be in a similar financial position then I am sure taxpayers would be furious. While the demands on the health service’s resources can be unpredictable it is right that those who are in charge of spending taxpayers’ money should be held to account. The loss of managerial control over the BCCG’s finances is self-evident from its ever-growing deficit. It is therefore time for the Governing Body members who are responsible to resign.’
Cllr John Mingay (Con)
Newnham Ward