The United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has said that the latest cutbacks mean the equivalent of 400 full-time jobs will have to be lost, according to the BBC’s East Midlands Politics Show.
But unions say that when you take into account the number of existing vacancies that have not been filled, the number of jobs involved is around 600.
The Trust claims that cuts, which will save about £10 million in 2006 – only a small part of their deficit - will have only a "small impact" on clinical services, but this is disputed by unions.
Among other savings being considered is cuts to accident and emergency services in Grantham and stopping all acute surgery in the town’s hospital. Emergency care in Skegness and Spalding is also under threat.
MP for Grantham and Stamford, Quentin Davies, insists than reducing the A&E service at Grantham would be "utterly callous and utterly irresponsible", warning "People would die who otherwise would not. It is as simple as that."
Friday, 30 June 2006
Thursday, 29 June 2006
Oxfordshire: Petitions to Government over NHS cuts
The Abingdon Herald reports today that 50,000 local residents have signed petitions against cuts to Oxfordshire's health service.
In south Oxfordshire, 30,000 pledged their support to efforts to save the county's community hospitals, with an additional 17,000 signing their opposition to cuts proposed by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.
A further 3,000 residents signed an on-line petition condemning the trust's plans to cut 600 jobs in order to reduce a £33m budget deficit.
Dr Ajit Singh Bhart, mayor of Bicester, said Government promises about a new hospital for Bicester had been broken.
Witney mayor Chrissie Curry said: "Moorview Hospital closed this week despite a huge petition and lobbying. We just want fair funding for Oxfordshire."
In south Oxfordshire, 30,000 pledged their support to efforts to save the county's community hospitals, with an additional 17,000 signing their opposition to cuts proposed by the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.
A further 3,000 residents signed an on-line petition condemning the trust's plans to cut 600 jobs in order to reduce a £33m budget deficit.
Dr Ajit Singh Bhart, mayor of Bicester, said Government promises about a new hospital for Bicester had been broken.
Witney mayor Chrissie Curry said: "Moorview Hospital closed this week despite a huge petition and lobbying. We just want fair funding for Oxfordshire."
Wednesday, 7 June 2006
NHS deficit doubles to over £500m
The NHS deficit in England has reached £512m - more than double the amount last year, according to the BBC.
Nearly a third of the 566 NHS organisations failed to break even with a hardcore group of 63 responsible for 70% of the deficits.
The unaudited figure for the 2005-6 financial year is £100m less than mid-year forecasts. Over 12,000 jobs have been cut, wards closed and operations delayed as NHS trusts have struggled with finances.
£512 million is less than five weeks' worth contribution to the EU at the £115m-a-week level we'll be paying from next year, thanks to the bad deal Blair did in December. Is this money better sent to an organisation whose auditors haven't been able to tell us how they spend the majority of their money...for eleven years running? Or saving the jobs, wards and operations this shortfall in NHS funds is costing?
Which will have the biggest impact on improving people's lives - fire-hosing more billions at the expensive, fraud-ridden EU, or saving our hospitals? There's really no contest.
Time Gordon Brown demonstrated his Prime Ministerial potential by this simple decision about how public money is spent. Stop the Cheques to the EU, and this threat to patient care is over in a bit more than a month.
Nearly a third of the 566 NHS organisations failed to break even with a hardcore group of 63 responsible for 70% of the deficits.
The unaudited figure for the 2005-6 financial year is £100m less than mid-year forecasts. Over 12,000 jobs have been cut, wards closed and operations delayed as NHS trusts have struggled with finances.
£512 million is less than five weeks' worth contribution to the EU at the £115m-a-week level we'll be paying from next year, thanks to the bad deal Blair did in December. Is this money better sent to an organisation whose auditors haven't been able to tell us how they spend the majority of their money...for eleven years running? Or saving the jobs, wards and operations this shortfall in NHS funds is costing?
Which will have the biggest impact on improving people's lives - fire-hosing more billions at the expensive, fraud-ridden EU, or saving our hospitals? There's really no contest.
Time Gordon Brown demonstrated his Prime Ministerial potential by this simple decision about how public money is spent. Stop the Cheques to the EU, and this threat to patient care is over in a bit more than a month.
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