Tory cuts threaten West Wiltshire health services

8.39.00am GMT Fri 25th Feb 2005

Duncan Hames is calling on the Council to keep the Helath Promotion Service if the local Health Trust will not take it on.

Local health services risk the axe after the Conservatives on West Wiltshire District Council voted for a budget which cuts the local Health Promotion Service by £65,000 per year from April. The cuts call into question the future of the popular cardiac re-hab classes at the district's leisure centres, the fall prevention classes, the Healthy Back programme, and the Health Link GP exercise referral initiative.

The council is hoping the local health trust, will pick up the management of these schemes, but it has given them little time to absorb these new costs into their already over-stretched budget.

"These schemes were an example to local authorities in best practice when the Lib Dems first established this partnership with DC Leisure and the local health trust. Now just as other councils are following that lead, the Conservatives are wielding the axe." says Lib Dem councillor Duncan Hames.

"I was astonished when the Tory councillor whose portfolio covers this budget told me that this service was not a key objective of her portfolio. That certainly wasn't how the users I met this week felt. I will continue to press the council to support the continuation of this service if their plans to pass the buck to the health trust fall through." pledged Cllr Hames.