Bracknell

A consultation about major changes to health services in the Bracknell area has been condemned as a "done deal" by Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

Bracknell Borough Council, together with councils in Slough and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, has opposed plans to merge the three Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in these areas into a single organisation for the whole of East Berkshire.

However, last week the Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority decided to support these plans, despite the concerns raised by both councils and local residents.

Today (Monday) the Leader of Bracknell Council, Cllr Paul Bettison, the Executive Member with responsibilities for health, Cllr Dale Birch, the Chairman of the Bracknell Health Scrutiny Panel, Cllr Ian Leake, and the Bracknell Chairman of the Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Panel, Cllr Bob Edger agreed to condemn the decision and take the fight to the Secretary of State.

Cllr Birch said: "The people of Bracknell Forest were not given any real choice, this was already a done deal. There was never an option to retain the status quo and the whole consultation has been a complete charade as far as I can see. We have been betrayed by a health authority bent on balancing books rather than delivering real care locally.

"The three areas in East Berkshire all have very different needs and we are extremely concerned that the plans will see our local services deteriorating.

"We raised some serious issues and I am disgusted these have not been answered during the consultation or in response to representations we have made on behalf of our residents. So much for the new government white paper on health saying it wants better co-ordination between councils and PCTs, when the first thing they do after it is published is to remove our local PCT.

"In a typically arrogant disregard for the needs of the people of Bracknell Forest the health authority tells us the Secretary of State for Health is going to take until October 6 to make up their mind about the recommendations. When do they actually intend to tell us what the new PCT will look like? When will they show us where the cuts will fall? How can we hold them accountable when they have neither form nor identity for the next seven months?”

Bracknell Council is concerned that a single organisation would not be able to recognise the contrasting health needs of Bracknell Forest compared to Slough or the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Cllr Birch added: "It's ludicrous that the Strategic Health Authority said the new arrangements would improve co-ordination between the PCTs and councils - we have been making giant steps in Bracknell Forest to work with our PCT and now all this could be lost, consumed by a larger organisation which will not be specifically focused on the needs of our residents.

“We will be making the strongest possible representations to the Government to reverse this disgraceful recommendation and I am confident that Cllr Leake and his Health Scrutiny Panel will not let this go unchallenged.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council