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500 JOBS TO GO AT FREE
New Journal uncovers radical cuts
plan to save cash
THE Royal Free Hospital is to axe nearly 500 jobs in a cost-cutting
drive aimed at reducing its crippling debt.
Staff are reeling from news that jobs are on the line as the
cash-strapped hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, desperately
tries to balance its books.
It is understood that some doctors have also been asked to consider
voluntary pay cuts with an email thought to have already been
circulated in the Ear, Nose and Throat department proposing
a ten per cent salary drop.
On top of job losses and wage cuts, 100 patient beds will be
scrapped in a bid to save £25 million over the next twelve
months.
Although the Royal Free’s stinging multi-million pound
debt has been public knowledge for several months, hospital
bosses only began discussing getting rid of staff publicly yesterday
(Wednesday).
Chief executive Andrew Way is understood to have told a private
staff meeting about the plans on Thursday. It was only after
the hospital had been pressed by the New Journal that the cuts
were confirmed in a statement later released to reporters.
It said that the hospital aimed to “improve the efficiency
of staff rotas to allow a reduction in staff numbers of approximately
480 posts. The trust will do everything possible to ensure that
redundancies are kept to a minimum, however, they cannot be
ruled at this stage.”
The statement added: “If we are treating patients more
efficiently we will need fewer beds and are therefore closing
approximately 100 beds.”
Mr Way, due to speak at a board meeting today (Thursday), said:
“These measures are not exceptional. We must achieve financial
balance if we are to control our own future as the government
has made it very clear that they will not bail out organisations
that fail to do so.”
Health campaigners said yesterday (Wednesday) that the hospital
should fight back against the government’s refusal to pump
more money into the system, rather than agreeing to job cuts.
John Lister, of London Health Emergency, said: “The fact
is that this number of jobs being cut will damage patient care.”
Chiefs have a legal requirement to pay back at least £16
million built up in overspending and say that they need to find
a further £10 million to meet the rising cost of staff,
drugs and equipment. Hospital staff told New Journal reporters
of their deep concerns for the future. One consultant said that
managers had begun to panic, adding “it’s all doom
and gloom with no light at the end of the tunnel”.
Unison branch secretary Jim Mansfield said the job cuts were
“unachievable”. He added: “If this really is
the scale of what will happen then it will be a disaster. You
can’t talk about improving the health service if you are
talking about 480 job cuts.”
Union leaders are due to meet with the hospital’s management
next month to discuss the way forward. |
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