A north London council has laid out proposals to cut public health services including health visiting, drug and alcohol, and sexual health over the next three years by up to 60%.
The biggest reductions by Harrow Council are proposed for 2018-19, when local authorities could see the ring fence around their annual public health grant – which they receive from the government – removed.
Council papers show plans to review its entire £3.2m budget for health visiting services from 2018-19.
A 60% cut to drug and alcohol services has also been put forward – reducing the budget from £2.48m in 2015-16 to £980,000 in 2018-19. Meanwhile, nearly £700,000 of cuts have been proposed for staff that support non-statutory services.
Full story in The Nursing Times 7 December 2015