LOCAL Liberal Democrats have hit out at suggestions that the Government could cut over £1million from Wiltshire’s health budget.
It was announced last month that as part of wider Government action on deficit reduction, £200million would be slashed from local authorities’ health budgets across the country.
One suggested method of saving, currently open to consultation, is a flat rate cut of 6.2% to all local authorities across the country. This would mean Wiltshire losing out on £1,065,000 in health service funding – down from £17,171,000 per year to £16,106,000.
Liberal Democrat councillor for Melksham and Wiltshire Jon Hubbard said, “This cut will mean that local residents are less likely to make good decisions on their health, and when they do need help, it is less likely to be there for them.
“Cutting the budget in the middle of the financial year means it will be really difficult to make these cuts. Liberal Democrats say these are the wrong cuts, made in the wrong way and they will end up costing the Government and the NHS more than is saved.”
Work undertaken by public health budgets include encouraging people to exercise more, give up smoking, drink less, come off drugs and drink and avoid sexually transmitted diseases.