Marco Cereste Chairman of NHS Peterborough talks to the BBC’s Antonia Brickell about his plans to cut £20 million from the NHS Budget as part of an effort to save £33 million required to balance the budget. Broadcast in the 17:00 Drivetime Show on Wednesday 19th May 2010 on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.
ANTONIA BRICKELL: Now this afternoon another meeting was held to discuss how NHS Peterborough will make thirty three million pounds in savings. The main concern of course is how to still provide efficient healthcare services. Well, Marco Cereste is the Chairman of NHS Peterborough’s Board, also Leader of the Council. He’s on the phone right now. Hi, Marco.
MARCO CERESTE: Hi. Good afternoon.
ANTONIA BRICKELL: How are you going to make these savings without affecting the standard of healthcare?
MARCO CERESTE: Well first of all we’re not going to make thirty three million pounds worth of savings in financial year two thousand ten eleven. We’re pitching to make twenty million pounds worth of savings, which is just still enormous. So, you know, it’s not that I’m trying to say it’s any less of a problem. What we’re trying to do of course is to make the delivery of healthcare in the city more efficient and more effective in order for everybody to be able to still get what they need when they need it, but do it in a different way.
ANTONIA BRICKELL: But how are you going to keep things going if you’ve got to make twenty million pounds worth of cuts? OK, not as much as thirty three. But how are you going to keep the standard up? Continue reading “Chairman NHS Peterborough on Spending Cuts”