Health Services (Gloucestershire)

The Minister is absolutely right that we need a modern health service; I have said myself that it should not be a sacred cow that we are frightened to touch. But if it is right to cut management costs by 15 per cent., for example, that should be done anyway; we should not have to get to this crisis point. People will not accept that these changes are being made for the right reasons, because they read in the press that the NHS has severe financial problems and is cutting, not planning. The problem is that local health chiefs are not planning. The current situation is a reaction to their being told by the strategic health authorities that this year they have to balance all the books or else. The Minister is right to say that we have to move services on—I have no objection to that.