HEALTH providers in Bexley are being short-changed to the tune of £7.8m.
The shortfall for Bexley's Primary Care Trust to buy health services, was revealed by MP Derek Conway.
The MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup has challenged Health Secretary Alan Milburn in the House of Commons over the shortfall and says he will keep up the pressure for more cash.
The Government has a formula for calculating how much cash goes to health authorities, who then pass it on to their primary care trusts.
The cash has been given to the new Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich Health Authority which has handed it to the three PCTs. But while Bromley and Greenwich have got what the formula allows, Bexley's money is £7.8m less than the allocation should be.
A spokesman for Bexley PCT said the shortfall was an historic one. Bexley always got less than its former health authority partner, Greenwich a fact often complained about in Bexley.
But the new health authority is not allowed to take money away from Bromley or Greenwich to even up the situation.
Bexley PCT is now in talks with the health authority to set up a system which will allow Bexley to gradually increase the amount it receives.
In two years' time, money will go to PCTs from the Government and Bexley hopes this will also increase the money available to Bexley.
"We have the money to pay for health services in Bexley," the spokesman explained.
"But if we were getting what we should under the formula, we would have £7.8m more to buy extra or different services."
November 6, 2001 12:02
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