The Guardian reports that the government was locked in a battle with dentists last night after claims that one in 10 is planning to leave the NHS.
All dentists have to sign a new contract to provide NHS care by the end of today or face uncertain funding.
The British Dental Association claimed that one in 10 has rejected the new contracts, which they say makes it impossible for them to survive financially and provide the standard of free NHS treatment the government is asking for.
Rosie Winterton, the health minister, dismissed the BDA's survey as unrepresentative and alarmist.
Friday 31 March 2006
Student debt doubles as top-up fees hit poorest
Student debt has doubled over the last six years and students from poorer families are suffering most, according to government research published yesterday.
The Guardian says that final year students averaged £7,918 debt at the end of their course and students from poor homes averaged £9,842, according to the survey of 3,700 undergraduates and trainee teachers at 88 universities and colleges in England and Wales.
Top-up fees were considered a key factor, and increasing numbers need help from their families. From this autumn students will be charged £3,000 a year, more than double what most pay now.
It was always going to be the case that the promised extra funding for universities from the introduction of tuition fees could only be delivered by rapidly hiking the cost to students from the initial level of £1,000 a year.
More public money could be invested in supporting students from poorer backgrounds and basing access to higher education more on academic ability if we weren't wasting so much cash by handing it to the EU.
The Guardian says that final year students averaged £7,918 debt at the end of their course and students from poor homes averaged £9,842, according to the survey of 3,700 undergraduates and trainee teachers at 88 universities and colleges in England and Wales.
Top-up fees were considered a key factor, and increasing numbers need help from their families. From this autumn students will be charged £3,000 a year, more than double what most pay now.
It was always going to be the case that the promised extra funding for universities from the introduction of tuition fees could only be delivered by rapidly hiking the cost to students from the initial level of £1,000 a year.
More public money could be invested in supporting students from poorer backgrounds and basing access to higher education more on academic ability if we weren't wasting so much cash by handing it to the EU.
Labels:
education,
EU,
student debt,
tuition fees
Thursday 30 March 2006
Newsnight appeals for NHS cuts
The BBC's Newsnight is appealing for viewers to report local stories of job cuts and deficit problems currently being faced by NHS Trusts across the country.
A list of the reports they have been sent is being maintained on their web site.
A list of the reports they have been sent is being maintained on their web site.
Wednesday 29 March 2006
Stafford: Trust cuts 150 jobs at hospitals
A hospital trust in Staffordshire has become the latest to announce job cuts in an effort to save costs - reports the BBC.
Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust is to cut more than 150 jobs to make savings of £10m next year.
A spokesman claimed most of the job losses would come from managerial and support services to try to minimise the impact on patient care.
The trust is expected to make a small surplus this year, but needs to make savings in the next financial year. It runs two hospitals - the 404-bed Staffordshire General Hospital in Stafford and the 107-bed Cannock Chase Hospital.
Between them they also serve people in Cannock, east Staffordshire, Sutton Coldfield and north Birmingham.
The spokesman said staff interested in early and voluntary retirement would be asked to come forward, but that some compulsory redundancies may be required.
More than 4,000 job losses have been announced at hospitals across the country over the past few weeks.
Health workers union Unison has said the cuts are bound to have an effect on patient care while the Royal College of Nursing has said morale in the profession is "plummeting".
Earlier this month, North Staffordshire NHS Trust said it needed to shed 1,000 jobs to clear a £30m deficit, while Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital announced 300 jobs would be axed to balance the books.
Similar cuts have also been announced in Shropshire and across England.
Mid Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust is to cut more than 150 jobs to make savings of £10m next year.
A spokesman claimed most of the job losses would come from managerial and support services to try to minimise the impact on patient care.
The trust is expected to make a small surplus this year, but needs to make savings in the next financial year. It runs two hospitals - the 404-bed Staffordshire General Hospital in Stafford and the 107-bed Cannock Chase Hospital.
Between them they also serve people in Cannock, east Staffordshire, Sutton Coldfield and north Birmingham.
The spokesman said staff interested in early and voluntary retirement would be asked to come forward, but that some compulsory redundancies may be required.
More than 4,000 job losses have been announced at hospitals across the country over the past few weeks.
Health workers union Unison has said the cuts are bound to have an effect on patient care while the Royal College of Nursing has said morale in the profession is "plummeting".
Earlier this month, North Staffordshire NHS Trust said it needed to shed 1,000 jobs to clear a £30m deficit, while Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital announced 300 jobs would be axed to balance the books.
Similar cuts have also been announced in Shropshire and across England.
Tuesday 28 March 2006
Hundreds of Norfolk NHS staff face redundancy
Hundreds of doctors and nurses look certain to be made redundant at Norfolk's biggest hospital, it emerged last night. And other hospitals in the region look likely to follow suit.
The Eastern Daily Press reports that two Norfolk MPs - Labour's Ian Gibson and Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb - have called for a countywide delegation to lobby for extra funding as the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital strives to meet a £22m shortfall.
It comes amid fears that at least 700 jobs could be cut at the N&N, which employs 5700. Both MPs warned that as depleted numbers of staff struggle to cope with their workload, more services face being diverted to the private sector, undermining the Norfolk health economy.
N&N chief executive Paul Forden refused to confirm the number under threat, simply saying it would be "substantial". But he confirmed a review was being carried out as a matter of urgency and anannouncement was due in weeks.
"It is true that a significant number of those jobs will be among nurses and doctors", he added.
Nearly 200 vacant posts at the West Suffolk Hospital have been frozen and the James Paget Hospital, Gorleston, will announce the expected impact of its funding shortfall within weeks.
At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, there are no job cuts planned at present but managers have not ruled out the possibility in the long-term.
A QEH spokesman said: "We have a deficit of £10.75m and we now need to findfurther savings of £14.5m. It seems inevitable that our already robust financial management will need to be further stepped up."
Nationally 1,000 jobs have already been cut in Staffordshire and the total number of losses in England has been forecast to top 15,000.
The N&N has embarked on an efficiency drive as it expects this year's settlement to be an increase of just 1.5pc on last year's £278m - less than the rate of inflation and at a time of rising public sector costs.
Mr Forden said: "With a £22m shortfall to meet, it is self-evident that a substantial number of jobs will go. How many and from what areas remains to be seen.
"People often forget that, although they directly receive care from front line staff, they rely on clerical and administrative staff to book them in and ensure it runs smoothly. We have to recognise this and achieve a balance."
Dr Gibson said he feared that "no job was secure" at the N&N. "At least 700 jobs could go; it could be a catastrophe. We need to tackle this debt situation immediately," he said.
"If the hospital runs out of money, it could close. This financial situation could lead to the downfall of the N&N. Patients in Norfolk are seriously going to suffer."
Dr Gibson and Mr Lamb have written to health secretary Patricia Hewitt requesting she meet an all-party delegation from Norfolk to discuss the issue. Referring to the N&N, it reads: "The hospital trust had expected to have to make cost savings of some £5m next year."
Instead, two weeks before the new financial year, they were informed that the settlement for the forthcoming year was much worse than they had expected, leaving a shortfall of something in the region of £20m.
"We are aware that the trust has managed to achieve financial break-even every year despite significant cost pressures. We believe, therefore, that this is a well run trust."
Mr Lamb said he was hopeful the government could be persuaded to improve its settlement.
"We have to be optimistic because the alternative is simply untenable," he said. "You cannot cut this many jobs without patients suffering - there simply aren't that many backroom jobs to be cut."
Under such conditions hospitals will find themselves marginalised with more work diverted to the public sector. If those circumstances continue I have no doubt whatsoever that we will see hospital closures in East Anglia in the next few years."
Harry Seddon, from public sector union Unison, said: "We have a well managed hospital that only managed to break even last year through the sheer hard work of staff, but it is going to impact across all services to save £22 million."
Andrew Stronach, spokesman for the N&N, said it was unlikely that the N&N would face the threat of closure.
"The trust has balanced its books every single year since 1994 so to say it would have to close is a rather extreme," he said. "However, we do have grave concerns for the next financial year."
MPs Ian Gibson & Norman Lamb may well be planning to lobby for extra funding to solve this cash crisis at their local hospital. As Mr Lamb says, if the cuts go ahead it's going to lead to "patients suffering".
But will these MPs also be giving Blair's increased handout to Brussels of £6 billion a year the nod when it comes before Parliament later this year?
The £22 million shortfall at stake in Norfolk would be wiped out in a little more than a day if they vote against that. Easy solution.
Which would their constituents prefer the money was spent on?
The Eastern Daily Press reports that two Norfolk MPs - Labour's Ian Gibson and Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb - have called for a countywide delegation to lobby for extra funding as the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital strives to meet a £22m shortfall.
It comes amid fears that at least 700 jobs could be cut at the N&N, which employs 5700. Both MPs warned that as depleted numbers of staff struggle to cope with their workload, more services face being diverted to the private sector, undermining the Norfolk health economy.
N&N chief executive Paul Forden refused to confirm the number under threat, simply saying it would be "substantial". But he confirmed a review was being carried out as a matter of urgency and anannouncement was due in weeks.
"It is true that a significant number of those jobs will be among nurses and doctors", he added.
Nearly 200 vacant posts at the West Suffolk Hospital have been frozen and the James Paget Hospital, Gorleston, will announce the expected impact of its funding shortfall within weeks.
At the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, there are no job cuts planned at present but managers have not ruled out the possibility in the long-term.
A QEH spokesman said: "We have a deficit of £10.75m and we now need to findfurther savings of £14.5m. It seems inevitable that our already robust financial management will need to be further stepped up."
Nationally 1,000 jobs have already been cut in Staffordshire and the total number of losses in England has been forecast to top 15,000.
The N&N has embarked on an efficiency drive as it expects this year's settlement to be an increase of just 1.5pc on last year's £278m - less than the rate of inflation and at a time of rising public sector costs.
Mr Forden said: "With a £22m shortfall to meet, it is self-evident that a substantial number of jobs will go. How many and from what areas remains to be seen.
"People often forget that, although they directly receive care from front line staff, they rely on clerical and administrative staff to book them in and ensure it runs smoothly. We have to recognise this and achieve a balance."
Dr Gibson said he feared that "no job was secure" at the N&N. "At least 700 jobs could go; it could be a catastrophe. We need to tackle this debt situation immediately," he said.
"If the hospital runs out of money, it could close. This financial situation could lead to the downfall of the N&N. Patients in Norfolk are seriously going to suffer."
Dr Gibson and Mr Lamb have written to health secretary Patricia Hewitt requesting she meet an all-party delegation from Norfolk to discuss the issue. Referring to the N&N, it reads: "The hospital trust had expected to have to make cost savings of some £5m next year."
Instead, two weeks before the new financial year, they were informed that the settlement for the forthcoming year was much worse than they had expected, leaving a shortfall of something in the region of £20m.
"We are aware that the trust has managed to achieve financial break-even every year despite significant cost pressures. We believe, therefore, that this is a well run trust."
Mr Lamb said he was hopeful the government could be persuaded to improve its settlement.
"We have to be optimistic because the alternative is simply untenable," he said. "You cannot cut this many jobs without patients suffering - there simply aren't that many backroom jobs to be cut."
Under such conditions hospitals will find themselves marginalised with more work diverted to the public sector. If those circumstances continue I have no doubt whatsoever that we will see hospital closures in East Anglia in the next few years."
Harry Seddon, from public sector union Unison, said: "We have a well managed hospital that only managed to break even last year through the sheer hard work of staff, but it is going to impact across all services to save £22 million."
Andrew Stronach, spokesman for the N&N, said it was unlikely that the N&N would face the threat of closure.
"The trust has balanced its books every single year since 1994 so to say it would have to close is a rather extreme," he said. "However, we do have grave concerns for the next financial year."
MPs Ian Gibson & Norman Lamb may well be planning to lobby for extra funding to solve this cash crisis at their local hospital. As Mr Lamb says, if the cuts go ahead it's going to lead to "patients suffering".
But will these MPs also be giving Blair's increased handout to Brussels of £6 billion a year the nod when it comes before Parliament later this year?
The £22 million shortfall at stake in Norfolk would be wiped out in a little more than a day if they vote against that. Easy solution.
Which would their constituents prefer the money was spent on?
Friday 24 March 2006
Up to 20,000 facing axe in the NHS
Between 15,000 and 20,000 jobs could be axed in the NHS because of the cash crisis facing the service, the Conservatives are predicting. They base their figures on reports that one in three hospitals are in debt, with many laying off 10% of staff.
Over the last few weeks hospital trusts across England have announced more than 4,000 job losses as they struggle to balance their books, reports the BBC. Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the best care would be maintained.
Gordon Brown faced claims he had abandoned the NHS from opposition politicians and campaign groups for not helping the health service in Wednesday's Budget.
Within hours of delivering his financial plans for the coming year, it was announced that 480 jobs were to be axed at north London's Royal Free Hospital.
Then the major hospital trust serving Tony Blair's constituency, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust, said it was cutting 700 jobs over the next two years - even though it would break even this year.
And East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said it would have to cut job to claw back a predicted £35m deficit for next year.
The Chancellor defended himself saying an extra £6 billion is being invested over the next two years in the NHS.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has repeatedly claimed that only a minority of health trusts are in the red and that they can achieve financial balance over the next year if they work more efficiently.
Responding to the Tory claims she said most NHS hospitals, including those with deficits, were improving patient care and hitting targets within budgets.
"Over the last 9 years the NHS has taken on over 200,000 more staff.
"Even where trusts are now making some reductions - starting with agency staff, managers and administrators - patients should be reassured by the determination of clinicians and management to maintain the best care for patients," Ms Hewitt added.
But Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said deficits in the NHS in England now topped £750 million and accused the government of mismanaging the service.
"Much of the money it has pumped in has been wasted by bureaucracy or the mismatch of supply and demand," he said. He added that the laying off of such a huge number of doctors and nurses was absurd.
Former health secretary Frank Dobson said the main cause of deficits, cuts, closures, job losses and reductions in patient care in the NHS was the latest round of re-organisation. He called for the government to suspend its reform plans in order to prevent further financial problems.
Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation which represents over 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said some hospitals had had to make tough decisions in recent weeks.
He said there were two main reasons for the job loses. Some had been necessary to balance the books and others had been because trusts had decided they could do things more efficiently by providing care outside hospitals, he added.
The past two weeks have been characterised by successive job cut announcements:
- North Staffordshire NHS Trust said it was axing 1,000 jobs to battle a £30m deficit for next year - 750 of which would be compulsory.
-Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital also said it was expecting to make 300 job cuts to help tackle a £38m deficit
- The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust which is expecting an £8.1m deficit for this year announced 300 job losses
- Some 200 job cuts are predicted both at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust and at St Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, Kent
- Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust is predicting 300 job cuts
- Peterborough and Stamford NHS Trust wants to cut 185 jobs and
- 90 jobs are expected to be axed at Kingston primary care trust in Surrey
NHS Direct is also predicting losses to the tune of 400 jobs.
Over the last few weeks hospital trusts across England have announced more than 4,000 job losses as they struggle to balance their books, reports the BBC. Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said the best care would be maintained.
Gordon Brown faced claims he had abandoned the NHS from opposition politicians and campaign groups for not helping the health service in Wednesday's Budget.
Within hours of delivering his financial plans for the coming year, it was announced that 480 jobs were to be axed at north London's Royal Free Hospital.
Then the major hospital trust serving Tony Blair's constituency, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust, said it was cutting 700 jobs over the next two years - even though it would break even this year.
And East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said it would have to cut job to claw back a predicted £35m deficit for next year.
The Chancellor defended himself saying an extra £6 billion is being invested over the next two years in the NHS.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has repeatedly claimed that only a minority of health trusts are in the red and that they can achieve financial balance over the next year if they work more efficiently.
Responding to the Tory claims she said most NHS hospitals, including those with deficits, were improving patient care and hitting targets within budgets.
"Over the last 9 years the NHS has taken on over 200,000 more staff.
"Even where trusts are now making some reductions - starting with agency staff, managers and administrators - patients should be reassured by the determination of clinicians and management to maintain the best care for patients," Ms Hewitt added.
But Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said deficits in the NHS in England now topped £750 million and accused the government of mismanaging the service.
"Much of the money it has pumped in has been wasted by bureaucracy or the mismatch of supply and demand," he said. He added that the laying off of such a huge number of doctors and nurses was absurd.
Former health secretary Frank Dobson said the main cause of deficits, cuts, closures, job losses and reductions in patient care in the NHS was the latest round of re-organisation. He called for the government to suspend its reform plans in order to prevent further financial problems.
Nigel Edwards, director of policy at the NHS Confederation which represents over 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said some hospitals had had to make tough decisions in recent weeks.
He said there were two main reasons for the job loses. Some had been necessary to balance the books and others had been because trusts had decided they could do things more efficiently by providing care outside hospitals, he added.
The past two weeks have been characterised by successive job cut announcements:
- North Staffordshire NHS Trust said it was axing 1,000 jobs to battle a £30m deficit for next year - 750 of which would be compulsory.
-Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital also said it was expecting to make 300 job cuts to help tackle a £38m deficit
- The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust which is expecting an £8.1m deficit for this year announced 300 job losses
- Some 200 job cuts are predicted both at Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust and at St Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, Kent
- Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust is predicting 300 job cuts
- Peterborough and Stamford NHS Trust wants to cut 185 jobs and
- 90 jobs are expected to be axed at Kingston primary care trust in Surrey
NHS Direct is also predicting losses to the tune of 400 jobs.
Friday 17 March 2006
N&N set to make job cuts
Managers at Norfolk's flagship hospital have conceded that "substantial" job cuts could be the only solution to its escalating debts, according to the Eastern Daily Press.
The 5,700 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust staff were warned earlier this week that a wide-ranging review was needed amid fears of a £22m funding shortfall - and on Friday the full extent of this review began to emerge.
It comes at a time of uncertainty across the National Health Service. The University Hospital of North Staffordshire announced it is to cut up to 1000 jobs and the Royal College of Nursing fears this is only the tip of the iceberg.
N&N chief executive Paul Forden said that it was quickly becoming clear "we will have to employ less staff than we currently do."
The hospital will not know exactly how bad the situation is until the Government finalises its grant settlement and a new staff pay deal is announced. Trusts have not yet been told when an announcement will be made.
In recent years the N&N has faced an uphill struggle to break even, already cutting back radically on the use of bank and agency staff and overtime, meaning there is little fat left to trim. Bosses have urged the Government to reconsider its latest financial settlementbut they now seem resigned to the fact this year will be the most difficult in the hospital's history.
Spokesman Andrew Stronach pointed out about 500 staff leave each year through natural wastage and it is hoped that by reviewing vacancies savings can be made. But this measure, along with restrictions on general spending on items such as stationary, has been in place for some time and more radical cuts are nowneeded.
Mr Paul Forden said: "We have an excellent track record of breaking even through strong financial management but the scale of the financial challenge next year is a very considerable one.
"Careful cost control alone will not be enough to deal with a projected £22million shortfall.
"Sixty per cent of our £300 million budget is spent on staff wages and that makes it inevitable that if we have to reduce our costs by £22 million we will have to employ less staff than we currently do.
"It is only very recently that we have received the funding information that projects our £22m shortfall next year and that means we simply don't know yet the specific areas of cost reduction.
"We will be pulling together a package of savings measures and we will belooking at everything we do, how we do it, why we do it, and making significant changes.
"We will be working closely with staff and their representatives, as well as patient groups, throughout this process.
"The situation has arisen because the Government looks set to increase spending for all hospitals by just 1.5pc, despite inflation costs for wages and medicine running at 6.5pc."
Ministers have also backtracked on a deal to pay an annual £3.8m "smoothing payment" on the hospital's controversial PFI deal.
This comes against a backdrop of debt across the country with the NHS expected to report a record overspend this year, projected in January to reach £790m.
Dr Beverly Malone, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "We've seen a steady creep of these types of issues, from the freezing of posts to now we are actually talking about redundancies."
This could happen at any of the hospitals and trusts that are having deficits and, as we know, there's a number of them that are in deficit.
"The research shows that when there are not enough nurses in hospital that patients have more infections, more falls, more pressure sores and that their mortality rates goes up."
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt defended the Government's strategy saying situations, such as the jobs losses in Staffordshire, exposed inefficient hospitals.
She said such hospitals needed to learn from other trusts which have developed better administration and procurement regimes and adopted measures to reduce average length of stay in hospital, such as day surgery.
However forcing hospitals to do more on tight budgets without providing the necessary extra funds, while fire-hosing an unjustifiable £115 million a week at the wasteful European Union, is surely the behaviour that shouldn't be tolerated.
The 5,700 Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust staff were warned earlier this week that a wide-ranging review was needed amid fears of a £22m funding shortfall - and on Friday the full extent of this review began to emerge.
It comes at a time of uncertainty across the National Health Service. The University Hospital of North Staffordshire announced it is to cut up to 1000 jobs and the Royal College of Nursing fears this is only the tip of the iceberg.
N&N chief executive Paul Forden said that it was quickly becoming clear "we will have to employ less staff than we currently do."
The hospital will not know exactly how bad the situation is until the Government finalises its grant settlement and a new staff pay deal is announced. Trusts have not yet been told when an announcement will be made.
In recent years the N&N has faced an uphill struggle to break even, already cutting back radically on the use of bank and agency staff and overtime, meaning there is little fat left to trim. Bosses have urged the Government to reconsider its latest financial settlementbut they now seem resigned to the fact this year will be the most difficult in the hospital's history.
Spokesman Andrew Stronach pointed out about 500 staff leave each year through natural wastage and it is hoped that by reviewing vacancies savings can be made. But this measure, along with restrictions on general spending on items such as stationary, has been in place for some time and more radical cuts are nowneeded.
Mr Paul Forden said: "We have an excellent track record of breaking even through strong financial management but the scale of the financial challenge next year is a very considerable one.
"Careful cost control alone will not be enough to deal with a projected £22million shortfall.
"Sixty per cent of our £300 million budget is spent on staff wages and that makes it inevitable that if we have to reduce our costs by £22 million we will have to employ less staff than we currently do.
"It is only very recently that we have received the funding information that projects our £22m shortfall next year and that means we simply don't know yet the specific areas of cost reduction.
"We will be pulling together a package of savings measures and we will belooking at everything we do, how we do it, why we do it, and making significant changes.
"We will be working closely with staff and their representatives, as well as patient groups, throughout this process.
"The situation has arisen because the Government looks set to increase spending for all hospitals by just 1.5pc, despite inflation costs for wages and medicine running at 6.5pc."
Ministers have also backtracked on a deal to pay an annual £3.8m "smoothing payment" on the hospital's controversial PFI deal.
This comes against a backdrop of debt across the country with the NHS expected to report a record overspend this year, projected in January to reach £790m.
Dr Beverly Malone, of the Royal College of Nursing, said: "We've seen a steady creep of these types of issues, from the freezing of posts to now we are actually talking about redundancies."
This could happen at any of the hospitals and trusts that are having deficits and, as we know, there's a number of them that are in deficit.
"The research shows that when there are not enough nurses in hospital that patients have more infections, more falls, more pressure sores and that their mortality rates goes up."
Health secretary Patricia Hewitt defended the Government's strategy saying situations, such as the jobs losses in Staffordshire, exposed inefficient hospitals.
She said such hospitals needed to learn from other trusts which have developed better administration and procurement regimes and adopted measures to reduce average length of stay in hospital, such as day surgery.
However forcing hospitals to do more on tight budgets without providing the necessary extra funds, while fire-hosing an unjustifiable £115 million a week at the wasteful European Union, is surely the behaviour that shouldn't be tolerated.
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