£40m shot-in-the-arm for Oldham’s health

OLDHAM health bosses were last night promised a £40 million additional cash injection — despite the looming recession.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson announced huge health allocations for primary care trusts across the country, with every area getting at least a 5.5 per cent increase in funding per year.

The funding allocation announced by the Department of Health will mean Oldham Primary Care Trust will receive more than £379 million in 2009-10 to pay for health services.

The money will be spent on GPs, opticians, dentists, pharmacist, district nurses, health visitors, therapists, nurse advisers, specialists and school nurses.

Funding will then increase to almost £400 million for 2010-11 — meaning an additional £40.6 million in health cash over a two-year period — an 11.3 per cent increase.

Mr Johnson said: “In its 60th year, the NHS is in good shape and treating more patients than ever.

“Investment has trebled since 1997. This has funded record increases in staff, hospitals and medical advances we have seen in recent years.

“We will sustain our investment in the health service over the next two years as the NHS continues to deliver significant improvements against key priorities including shortest ever waiting times and a relentless drive to tackle healthcare-associated infections.

“During these tougher economic times, the NHS, along with the rest of the public sector, will have to make its contribution to deliver greater efficiency. Good financial management over the last few years has put the NHS on a firm financial footing and we can be confident that the NHS can continue to provide the improvements and high quality care that patients, public and staff rightly demand.”

Nationally, PCTs will receive £164 billion for 2009-10 and 2010-11.

The Department of Health said the announcement will see funding rise to a national average of £1,612 per person by 2010-11 compared with £426 in 1996-7.

Primary Care Trusts will control a greater proportion of funding, with more than 80 per cent of the total NHS budget now allocated directly, allowing them to tailor health services local.