THE NHS

At a time of the rationing of drugs in the NHS and when many are losing their jobs as a result of the credit crunch, Hull’s primary care trust, NHS Hull, has decided to launch a new scheme to provide training for young unemployed people.

Not minded to take any notice of the local plebs, who have been quite vocal in their disapproval, in a unanimous vote of the 12 board members, NHS Hull has decided to spend no less that £500,000 on buying a yacht to send 150 young people yachting each year for the next 3 years. This will involve a 14 week course, 2 weeks of which will be at sea.

One Hull, a local quango, is helping to fund the scheme out of the Government’s Working Neighbourhood Fund with a donation totalling a further £1.3million. The scheme is to be run by a new not-for-profit charitable trust.

Hull City Council leader, Carl Minns, who is also chairman of One Hull, had previously admitted that:

‘From what I have seen of the business case, I think it’s got a lot of holes in it. To give one example, the exit strategy goes from something being funded with a lot of public sector money to one with a new organisation having to generate almost £500,000 straight away.’

Mr Minns had also previously stated that he thought there were better ways of providing ‘quality apprenticeships’ and that it was ‘not for him’ to comment on NHS Hull’s decision to buy the yacht.

Initially, NHS Hull was expected to spend £400,000 on the 72ft yacht, but it was then decided that another £100,000 was needed to bring it up to spec. NHS Hull chief executive, Chris Long, said:

‘If you are buying an ocean-going yacht you are not necessarily buying an ocean-going yacht which is equipped for training.’