Pain Management Services Cut Back at Local Hospital

3.22.45pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 12th Mar 2007

Local residents who suffer acute and prolonged pain have found that Kingston hospital has cut back on its services and Vincent Cable has received a letter from the local NHS saying that the present service is not "cost effective". He said: "one Hampton resident discovered that the service she need was cut back. Despite claims that clinicians had been 'consulted' it seems clear that someone made a decision which will cause physical pain and psychological stress to quite a lot of patients. I have to say I get particularly cross when services are cut in a stealthy way behind a smokescreen of management gobbledy gook".