Stoke Newington MP slams NHS cut predictions
Shadow Health Minister Diane Abbott has slammed the proposed NHS cuts, as shocking new figures expose the depth of cuts that could be made in London
Shadow Health Minister Diane Abbott has slammed the proposed NHS cuts, as shocking new figures expose the depth of cuts that could be made in London
In November, the Royal College of Nursing predicted total staff cuts would reach 27,000, but figures released today by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) predict that figure could be doubled, with at least 53,150 posts nationally expected to be lost.
The research, by anti-cuts campaign group False Economy on behalf of the TUC, showed 3,230 London posts could go.
After freedom of information (FOI) requests, a number of health trusts revealed they were cutting staff - many on the front line of care.
The capital’s health authority, NHS London, has already admitted it expects about 2,000 jobs to go across London’s 31 primary care trusts.
Ms Abbott said: “We are only just beginning to get information on just how deep these cuts will be, and the changes to the health services in London are too costly, too far and too fast.
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“The Tory-led Government is pushing through its NHS reorganisation despite increasing criticism on all sides,” she added.
“The government is piling extra pressure on the NHS with its huge, high-cost reorganisation, and by breaking the prime minister’s pledge to give the NHS a real rise in funding next year.
“At a time when every single penny is needed to maintain jobs and standards of patient care, it is nothing short of a disgrace to spend up to �3 billion on an unwanted political experiment with our NHS.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health said they did not agree with the figures as they did not provide an accurate reflection of the NHS recruitment situation.
“They do not take into account the rises in clinical consortia jobs, those in social enterprises or the rises we are beginning to see in health visitors,” he said.
“There are nearly 2,500 more doctors, more nurses and more midwives - and 2,000 fewer managers since May.
“In protecting the NHS we are ensuring that every penny saved from efficiency savings - including a 45 per cent reduction in management costs - will be reinvested back into front line services and improving quality.”
