Job And Service Cuts Won’t Help The NHS Improve Services For Patients - UNISON

Ministers should give trusts the breathing space to deliver the improvements the public wants to see

Commenting on a survey published today (Friday) by NHS Providers, which warns NHS trusts across England are planning to cut jobs and patient services, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said:

“Forcing the NHS to make drastic cuts after a decade and a half of underfunding is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Ministers shouldn’t be insisting trusts balance their books while ignoring the damaging consequences for patient care and a demoralised workforce. The NHS needs more staff, not fewer workers, if delays and waits for patients are to end."

She continued:

"Making trusts axe jobs and services will mean patients will have to wait longer to be seen and make staffing levels less safe. The NHS is still thousands of staff short. And everyone it employs has a valuable role in turning the fortunes of the service around.

“But unrealistic demands for efficiency savings are leaving trusts with no option but to let much-needed workers in finance, estates and planning, as well as nurses, healthcare assistants, porters and other staff go.

“This is having a ripple effect across the whole workforce, who are left wondering how on earth they’ll manage if their colleagues are no longer there.

“This is added pressure the NHS could well do without. The government should ease off and give trusts the breathing space to deliver the improvements the public and ministers want to see.

“As well as listening to the concerns staff and trust leaders are raising, the government should also hurry up and give NHS employees the decent wage rise that’s now well overdue. Further delays are harming morale and aren’t helping one bit.

“It’s time ministers showed just how much they value the NHS workforce and pulled out all the stops on pay.”

NHS Providers have published thier reponse to Streeting's demands for cuts in services and for ICB balanced budgets:

NHS trusts are facing unprecedented pressures, leading to significant service cutbacks and job losses as they confront the financial demands of the NHS "reset." Despite these challenges, trusts emphasize their commitment to protecting patient safety

The NHS aims to recover a projected financial shortfall of nearly £7 billion this year, tasking trusts with drastically reducing running costs while striving to improve key performance targets.

A recent survey by NHS Providers, which represents a wide range of NHS services including hospital, mental health, community, and ambulance providers, reveals the extent of these measures:

Key Findings from the Survey:

• Service Reductions: Nearly half (47%) of trust leaders surveyed indicated they are already scaling back services to meet tough financial targets, with an additional 43% considering similar actions

. Services identified at risk include virtual wards, rehabilitation centers, talking therapies, and diabetes services for young people

• Clinical Job Cuts: More than one-third (37%) of organizations are cutting clinical posts to balance their budgets, and another 40% are contemplating this step

• Non-Clinical Job Cuts: With a directive to halve corporate cost growth, 86% of trust leaders report their organizations will cut positions in non-clinical teams, such as HR, finance, estates, digital, and communications. This could jeopardize efforts to deliver services, innovate, and boost productivity

• Scale of Job Losses: Some trusts are planning to eliminate 500 or more posts, with one organization anticipating around 1,000 job reductions

• Impact on Staff: Over nine in ten (94%) trust leaders believe these financial measures will negatively affect staff well-being and culture, at a time when morale, burnout, and vacancies are already critical issues

• Patient Experience and Access: Close to three-fifths of respondents expressed concern that patient experience (61%), efforts to address health inequalities (60%), and access to timely care (57%) are most vulnerable to adverse impacts

• Prevention Underfunded: Nearly nine out of ten (88%) trust leaders stated they lack sufficient funding for investment in prevention initiatives

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, affirmed that "Trust leaders will always put patient safety and quality of care first." However, she cautioned that "cuts have consequences," highlighting the difficult balance between improving patient services, boosting performance, and managing increasingly tight budgets

Trust leaders are urging the government to acknowledge the complex decisions and competing priorities they face as they strive to improve patient services while maintaining financial stability.

Source: Unison / NHS Providers

See also: NHS Privatisation News Archive