Council leader has '˜serious concerns' over STP health proposals for Lincolnshire

The leader of Lincolnshire County Council has expressed his '˜serious concerns' over the county's Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP).
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Councillor Martin Hill said: “Although we accept and understand the rationale for change within health services in the county, the executive has serious concerns that the proposals in the current STP will not improve services for everyone.

“Making things better for most people, at the detriment of others, is not good enough.

“We also agree that money needs to be spent on better facilities, following years of under-investment on our hospitals.

Coun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County CouncilCoun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council
Coun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council

“However, it is entirely unclear as to where the money for this would come from or if it’s even available.”

In the full letter from the Lincolnshire County Council Executive to health bosses, released today (March 21), Coun Hill said: “We believe the STP needs to be clear in its intent to deliver better services for everyone. It is not evident in the draft as to how the removal of services and facilities such as those identified will make this possible.

“Indeed, it is all too possible to identify communities or categories of patients for whom it may well make things worse.”

“For services as critical as these, ‘better, by and large’ is not good enough.

Coun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County CouncilCoun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council
Coun Martin Hill, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council

“They need to be better all-round if they are to claim to be ‘Sustainable and Transformative’ as is the Plan’s professed intent.”

Later in the letter, Coun Hill added: “The proposals are reliant on an efficient and effective ambulance service delivering patients to the best location - we are not confident that this is the case and do not see the issue addressed in the current proposal.”

Coun Hill signed off the letter by stating that the points above provide the Executive’s “initial observations” and that he awaits a considered response with interest.

• More on this story as we have it.