David Ruffley MP has today spoken out against the Government's under-funding of the Health Service in Suffolk.

Newly released House of Commons figures reveal that in 2007/08 Suffolk's NHS funding per unweighted head of the population is only 88 percent of the national average.

In 2007/08 Suffolk will be receiving £1,227 per unweighted head of the population compared with a national average of £1,388 per head.

David Ruffley will be meeting with Suffolk PCT at 5pm on Friday 15 June to receive an update on their financial position and progress within the NHS in Suffolk.

David said:

'Once again this Government is short-changing the people of Suffolk and under-funding the NHS in the county.

'In the current financial year we will only be receiving 88 percent of the national average per unweighted head of the population.

'The stark reality of this neglect can be seen in the fact that Suffolk PCT finished the last financial year with a deficit of £30.8 million and that regionally we now have 722 fewer hospital beds than we did three years ago.

'Our hard working doctors, nurses and support staff are not getting the resources they need to do their job and it is the people of Suffolk who are suffering as a result.

'We need to see more money reaching the front line. As a first step the East of England Strategic Health Authority, which costs millions of pounds to run, should be scrapped and the money redirected to those who need it most- the professionals and patients.

'This ineffective Quango has failed in its remit, failed the NHS and, worst of all, failed the people of the East of England.'

'I will continue to fight for a fair deal for Suffolk and a fair deal for our hard working healthcare professionals.'