Strip health chiefs of powers says Southport MP John Pugh

Oct 21 2009 by Rob Merrick, Liverpool Daily Post

LOCAL health chiefs must be stripped of their power to make crucial decisions to end their "gross abuses", a Mersey MP will tell the government today.

Southport MP John Pugh will introduce a backbench Bill that would make unelected primary care trusts (PCTs) answerable to elected local councillors.

 The move follows anger triggered by a series of far-reaching decisions about how Merseyside health services are provided – made, Dr Pugh said, without a "democratic voice".