No hope in budget for local health services

12.00.00pm GMT Thu 23rd Mar 2006

David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, has described today's Budget announcement by Chancellor Gordon Brown as "devastating news for local campaigners."

Today's Budget speech contained no announcement of extra funding for the crisis-ridden health service, leaving the way open for further drastic cuts to health services in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.

Mr. Howarth commented:

"Health services in Cambridge, and around the country, are in a financial crisis. We need a firm commitment from the Government to help struggling Primary Care Trusts and to cushion patients from budget cuts but instead Gordon Brown's budget just ignored the health service. This is devastating news for local campaigners."