Commenting on new figures published today (Thursday) that show NHS vacancies across England have reached a record high and waits for patients arriving at hospital by ambulance are increasing, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:
“The government must stop burying its head in the sand and act decisively to save the NHS.
“Ministers claim they’ve done all they can on wages, but exhausted and demoralised health employees keep walking away from the NHS for jobs on more money and with much less stress.
“That places intolerable pressure on the colleagues left behind, who’re stretched ever more thinly and wracked with guilt over declining standards of care.
“No wonder NHS workers are prepared to take action over pay and staffing. None of them want to lose a day’s pay, nor inconvenience anyone.
“But faced with a government that appears indifferent to the fate of the NHS and its patients, damaging strikes look just weeks away.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
The article Government must act decisively to save the NHS first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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