'Scale of health cuts is frightening'

February 25, 2010

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Paul Rowen MP

Patient groups have described the proposed £1billion cuts in NHS spending plans for Greater Manchester as ‘frightening.’

They say that although the local health service could and should be more efficient, cuts on such a scale would damage patient care.

Paul Mainwaring from the independent Patients Council said: “The scale of these cuts is frightening – we are very concerned this will lead to job cuts and cuts in services – it is impossible for it not to.

“Its all very well for them to say we need to cut managers and protect frontline staff but good managers can produce more efficient, better-run services.

“There are definitely efficiencies and savings to be made in the NHS but we do not see how cuts can be made on this scale without putting services in jeopardy.”

Salford PCT medical director Dr Brian Hope, in a report about plans to merge trust management with Salford Royal Hospital, said that his personal experience of the effects of such integration in the 1980s and 90s 'gives me cause for concern'.

He said: “The relative lack of investment in community services, primary care and the preventative, well-being agenda meant a serious imbalance in the NHS. “The present culture of ‘always and everyone’ is not sustainable. We have to have an honest debate to build the resilience of individuals and families.

“They need to take more responsibility for their well-being and illnesses.”

Paul Rowen, the Liberal Democrat MP for Rochdale, said: “I do not believe cuts of this magnitude can happen without cutting jobs and frontline services.

“Government promises that the NHS will be protected from public expenditure cuts are clearly hollow,” he said.

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Penelope Welsh (25/02/2010 at 09:59)

I have worked for the NHS for 26 years and as you can imagine have seen one or few changes. The focus needs to get put back into looking after our patients and staff! There are far too many expensive managers trying to out do each other and trying to implement unrealistic targets and to what end - to merely tick boxes and have another emblem on their headed paper! The well being of our patients is certainly not their priority. They simply work for Trusts that will be penalised if they don't hit the set targets. The NHS nationally need to get back to basics. They need to ensure there is sufficient staff "on the ground" to keep the wheels turning whether it be doctors, nurses, secretaries, clerical staff, radiographers, cleaners etc etc. Without the ancillary staff hospitals would come to a standstill, but sadly it is ALWAYS in these areas that cuts are made.

Almighty God, Salford - vote Green (25/02/2010 at 11:04)

vote green to save the NHS

Jean Ashworth (25/02/2010 at 22:32)

I worked for the NHS for 32 years and recently retired .This government has given far to much responsibility to the PCT and the Healthy Futures/ Making it Better projects.
They have between them wasted THOUSANDS of £'s in glossy magazines and employing people into posisitions who have not got a clue or even care about the devastation they have caused in downgrading our healthcare and still continue to do so.
Over the last 2 years before I retired from the Pennine Acute more managers posts were "created" than needed.
So lets make these cuts and look at the management of our Hospitals and that is were huge savings would be acceptable and look deeper at the wasted money these people have been allowed to get away with .
Lets stop the dreaded targets which can't be met and give our nurses & doctors back the time to care .

citycentre, manchester (26/02/2010 at 10:35)

"vote green to save the NHS "

Why, what do they propose?

PW, Manchester (26/02/2010 at 12:44)

Whatever you do, don't become ill.

sandra ramskill (10/03/2010 at 20:36)

Give the hospital back to the Dr's surgeons matrons this management of hospitals is a farce they only care about money NOT peoples lives.. How many hositals cant afford to employ more nurses yet when they are short staffed they pay m ore than double for the agency staff.it doesnt add up to me? what if one? nurse is off sick 6mths of the yr? The cost that they pay for agencies they could have full time staff on 12 mths a yr..With what they spend for 6mths sick leave etc.Yes cut some managers BUT get extra nursing staff etc in( some that care about the patients,not the ones who want to gossip all day)

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