Motion From Councillor Larry Sanders
“The NHS in Oxfordshire faces years of severe financial pressures which will inevitably affect the quality of health care for the people of the County. One of the larger elements of pressure comes from the need for the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust to pay at least £53 million per year to the owners of its PFI facilities. PFI payments are inflated by the profits taken by the owners and by the higher interest rates required from private companies as compared to public entities, such as County Councils.
In February 2012 Northumberland County Council proposed lending £100 million to the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. They said “The provision of financial support would benefit the residents of Northumberland by enabling the Foundation Trist to secure savings from its existing PFI contracts which would prevent potential reductions in both the range and quantity of healthcare provision offered across Northumberland.”
Under the Local Government Act, local authorities can “do anything which they consider is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic wellbeing of their area.”
This County Council therefore requests the Cabinet to appoint a working party of appropriate Members and Officers to investigate, with colleagues from the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, the potential for savings to be made through the provision of financial support by the County Council.”
Minutes:
Councillor Larry Sanders moved and Councillor Sherwood seconded the following motion:
“The NHS in Oxfordshire faces years of severe financial pressures which will inevitably affect the quality of health care for the people of the County. One of the larger elements of pressure comes from the need for the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust to pay at least £53 million per year to the owners of its PFI facilities. PFI payments are inflated by the profits taken by the owners and by the higher interest rates required from private companies as compared to public entities, such as County Councils.
In February 2012 Northumberland County Council proposed lending £100 million to the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. They said “The provision of financial support would benefit the residents of Northumberland by enabling the Foundation Trist to secure savings from its existing PFI contracts which would prevent potential reductions in both the range and quantity of healthcare provision offered across Northumberland.”
Under the Local Government Act, local authorities can “do anything which they consider is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic wellbeing of their area.”
This County Council therefore requests the Cabinet to appoint a working party of appropriate Members and Officers to investigate, with colleagues from the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, the potential for savings to be made through the provision of financial support by the County Council.”
Following debate, the motion was put to the vote and was lost by 46 votes to 2.