Friday 30 June 2006

Grantham: NHS cuts

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."

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