“Set up to fail”: Liberal Democrats slam government as NHS Greater Manchester in plunged into special measures

Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE has slammed the Conservative government after news broke that the NHS in Greater Manchester had been plunged into special measures following drastic spending cuts and poor performance.

Councillor Sykes said, “This is terrible news for patients and staff.  But unfortunately, it is not a shock.

“The NHS has been hammered by years of government cuts and in the last few years this has been made worse by the pandemic and by inflation caused by government mistakes.  The result is that NHS services across Oldham and Greater Manchester are on their knees.”

NHS Greater Manchester has confirmed that it has “not yet been able to demonstrate to NHS England (NHSE) that we, as a system, have made the progress required against our well-publicised performance, finance, and quality issues”.  The city-region’s NHS will now have to go under the next level of scrutiny from its national governor, NHS England, and NHS England's regional leaders.

Councillor Sykes said, “From its creation, NHS Greater Manchester was underfunded by the government and almost set up to fail.

“Everything must be done to ensure patient confidence is restored.  But the blame lies squarely with the Conservative government.  This is what happens when you fail to fund the NHS at every turn.  As always with the Conservatives, it is the patients who suffer and to be blunt will die or die sooner if this is not sorted quickly."