Date article online: 26/06/2006

In the wake of the Chairwoman of Rochdale PCT - Debbie Abrahams - resignation, Paul Rowen MP will be raising with Health Minister, Rosie Winterton on Thursday how much money Rochdale PCT and others in Greater Manchester spend on private health providers.  The meeting will be a chance for Greater Manchester MP's to raise concerns about the £28 Million deficit facing Pennine Acute Trust.
 
Paul said: "I have the upmost respect for Debbie Abrahams as a person and I admire her integrity and wish her luck in the future.  I do think her stand was the correct one, it is quite clear that the massive deficits at Pennine Acute is due to PCT's like Rochdale contracting out of the NHS and going to the private sector.  I will be contacting the Strategic Health Authority asking how much Rochdale and other PCT's have spent on services provided by the private sector. 
 
"I will be putting this question and others to Health Minister, Rosie Winterton MP, at the meeting on Thursday.  It is quite clear that the NHS in Greater Manchester is in crisis.  This is the second resignation in a matter of days - it is obvious that senior health boss's and staff morale is at an all-time low.  The Government need to get a grip on this and I shall be making this clear to Rosie Winterton on Thursday.
 
"We need more people like Debbie on the PCT, people committed to the NHS and not the private sector.  I look forward to a new, balanced Primary Care Trust  with members who are committed to health care locally, this would include retaining maternity, childcare, accident and emergency services in Rochdale."