Blair sidesteps hospital chaplains row

Nov 1 2006

THE Prime Minister has refused to directly interfere in a Worcestershire health trust's decision to sack all but one of its hospital chaplains in a bid to cut costs.

Tony Blair, at Commons question time, was warned that the decision by Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Health Trust was setting a "dangerous precedent" to other authorities.

But Mr Blair refused to intervene because it was a local decision, although he said any changes should be made "sensitively" and with regard to the need for pastoral care.

Mid Worcestershire's Tory MP Peter Luff told the Commons he had already corresponded with the Prime Minister about the chaplaincy cuts.

Mr Blair had underlined in a letter that patients' religious and spiritual needs had to be addressed as part of the "overall care package", Mr Luff said.

He told MPs the cuts were incompatible with that wish and asked whether the Prime Minister recognised they were a dangerous precedent to other trusts under financial pressure.

Mr Blair said: "I entirely understand the concerns people have. On the other hand, I do think these decisions have to be made on a local level."

He added that there had been a major expansion in the numbers of people working in the NHS in Worcestershire but trusts had to balance their books and make changes for the future.

The health trust announced in the summer that it planned to cut the number of chaplains from seven to just one, who would cover all three of its hospitals.

The trust faces an underlying deficit for the year of £30m and the move would save them £100,000 - the equivalent of four nursing staff.

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