NHS in North East at breaking point says senior doctor ahead of crucial Commons meeting

One of the North East’s top health officials is meeting with MPs to discuss what he describes as the NHS crisis in the region .

Dr George Rae of the British Medical Association said he intends to raise a series of its concerns during his visit to Westminster on Tuesday.

He said: “The NHS in the North East is close to breaking point.

“This is an important opportunity to highlight to local MPs the serious concerns shared by many health care professionals, patients and the public over the state of the NHS in the region.”

Among the issues that Dr Rae, regional council chairman of the BMA, will be raising with the North East group of Labour MPs will be ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plans’ (STPs) which he fears that without necessary funding could result in cuts to health and social care services in the area.

He said Northumberland, Tyne and Wear STP faces a £960m health and social care deficit by 2021.

Yet this area will also require an extra £76.6m in capital funding in order to successfully deliver on STP plans.

Full story in the Chronicle Live, 28th March 2017