Carole ClarkeCHIEF executive Carole Clarke has vowed to resolve the cash crisis facing west Wiltshire healthcare regardless of whether other bodies back her.

West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and its sister organisation in Kennet and north Wiltshire are overspending by £10m and face financial penalties if they cannot save millions by March 2005.

Mrs Clarke, who took over as chief executive of both PCTs seven weeks ago, is urging the Government and the region's Strategic Health Authority to extend the deadline.

She said having to make hasty choices by March could further jeopardise local health services, but is determined to solve the PCT's problems at all costs.

Speaking to the county council's Health Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, she said: "The one thing I'm clear about is that if I can't get agreement from all parties to go forward we'll have no choice but to act swiftly.

"All it will do is destabilise the health economy. The last thing I need to do is solve my problems by causing problems elsewhere.

"The critical thing for me is to buy the time to do it properly."

Mrs Clarke said the PCT was undergoing an extensive 12-month review of its services and needed the entire period before deciding on any possible cuts.

But she admitted: "We are overspending and there are hundreds of NHS organisations around the country that are operating within their means."

PCT director of finance Derek Harvey said: "Kennet and West Wiltshire at the moment is spending £10m more than its resources. We've got to live on £180m not the £190m we are spending, we can't go beyond that."

Mrs Clarke said when the review was completed there would be public consultation, with the full financial picture made available.

She said: "There have to be some options for people to choose. But there's no point picking a Rolls Royce model if you've only got Ford means."

The Health Scrutiny Committee backed Mrs Clarke's concerns and voted to press for an extended deadline.

Cllr Paul Fox said: "If the PCTs are forced to make emergency cuts in services to balance the books this will be disastrous for patients and risks damaging local health and social services for many years to come."

Mrs Clarke will meet with her bosses at the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority next week.

She said: "It's our intention to present them with a number of options about how we can go forward in helping the situation that's developed."

The Government has announced it is scrapping the star ratings system for NHS services and is considering a replacement. In July, West Wiltshire PCT secured a zero star rating, but bosses said this did not reflect its progress.

Cancellations cause distress

ALMOST 500 operations at Bath's Royal United Hospital were cancelled at the last minute during 2003-04, Government figures reveal.

The hospital's NHS trust cancelled 482 operations for non-clinical reasons, according to the findings released on Friday.

Salisbury's NHS Trusts, which cover Salisbury District Hospital, cancelled 294 procedures during the same period. The national average figure was 257.

West Wiltshire MP and shadow health minister Andrew Murrison said: "Every cancellation causes deep distress, disappointment and inconvenience to anxious patients, their families and carers.

"Sadly the service is not always good at giving a satisfactory explanation for cancellations."

More than 66,000 operations were cancelled nationally in 2003-04 for non-clinical reasons, an increase of over 16,000 since 1997. Last year also saw 6,270 patients still not re-admitted within four weeks of a last minute cancellation.

Dr Murrison said: "These figures, released quietly and without comment from health ministers, show that the Government's emphasis on waiting lists means hospitals are encouraged to overlook important aspects of care."