Commenting on the decision by Health regulator Monitor to investigate financial problems at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner says that many of the issues have been caused by policy mistakes made by the Government.

He says they must take their share of the responsibility and work with the hospital to tackle the underlying problems: “It is no good just putting Addenbrookes on the naughty step, when we all know there are deep-seated issues across the health and care system which have been made worse by poor Government decisions.

Staff and managers are working their socks off at Addenbrookes to keep services running, but are facing enormous pressures not of their making. Cuts to local councils mean too many frail elderly people staying too long in hospital, while cuts to nurse training has made recruitment in a high-cost area near impossible. Add in the Government’s refusal to pay staff what they were promised, which has further damaged morale, and the massively expensive reorganisation of services caused by the Health and Social Care Act, it is no surprise that there are problems.

Instead of wasting more money on management consultants, Government should work with local health leaders to manage the transition to an integrated system – but that will require the Conservatives to make good on the extra money promised during the election.”