The Bedford Borough Conservative Group has urged the body responsible for organising local healthcare to ‘come clean’ on whether its huge spending deficit will affect services at Bedford Hospital.

The Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) has announced that by the end of the current financial year its spending deficit could be as high as £36m, sparking fears of service cutbacks in order to balance the books.

The news comes in the midst of a £3.2m review of NHS services in Bedfordshire which is proposing a link-up between Bedford Hospital and Milton Keynes Hospital.  However, Bedford Hospital’s management favours an expansion of the existing relationship with Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Conservatives Cllr Roger Rigby and Cllr John Mingay called an emergency meeting of the Council’s Adult Services and Health Committee to question the BCCG on its plans for dealing with its deficit but this could not proceed due to time constraints.  Nevertheless, both councillors have stressed the need for the BCCG to be open and transparent on if and how its deficit will affect the Hospital’s funding.

Cllr Rigby said:

‘It is an understatement to say we were surprised to learn of the BCCG’s anticipated spending deficit which has gone from £25m last month to a current worst-case scenario of £36m.

‘Bedford Hospital is central to our concerns.  We are supportive of the Hospital’s plans for a new £20m A & E facility and its desired link-up with Addenbrooke’s Hospital which would give Bedford Borough residents greater access to the world-renowned services provided there.  We need the BCCG to come clean on whether its deficit will have a bearing on these plans and on the future of services provided at the Hospital.’