Despite assurances from Norfolk's health chiefs, the shortfall has prompted fears that patients will face cuts and restrictions to services.

Mr Bacon said: "It's not adequate simply for the NHS to say 'There's not enough money'. But equally it's not good enough for the Government to simply say 'We have given you more cash, now get on with it'. The Government has imposed a whole series of initiatives which have extra costs attached to them. Compared with others, the county appears to be underfunded".

Mr Bacon added: "While many of the measures set out by the SHA to sort out the problems were sensible, they left serious questions for local health managers and ministers such as the quality of monitoring and management of spending. There needs to be greater transparency on funding between the PCTs and hospital trusts and the public to ensure that patients do not suffer".

Following a poor wind-up speech by health minister Melanie Johnson who initially refused to answer MPs' questions in writing, it was agreed to set up an unofficial cross-party Norfolk select committee to question NHS chiefs about local health service finances.  

The committee plans to meet in Norwich next month to ask the chief executives of the Strategic Health Authority, hospital trusts and county council to explain what has gone wrong.

14 December 2004

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