Commenting on analysis from the King’s Fund showing NHS trusts ran a £780m deficit last year, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Thursday):
“News that NHS finances remain in a perilous state will be a serious concern for health workers and the patients they care for.
“Many NHS trusts are trying to balance the books by cutting jobs or hiving off services to contractors. But such kneejerk decisions often create bigger problems for the future.
“Shedding staff and offloading services rarely saves money in the long run, puts further strain on remaining workers, and could lead to worse outcomes for patients.
“What’s needed is a better NHS funding settlement, alongside long overdue investment in social care. That way, staff can do their jobs properly and patients can have confidence the care they rely on will be there when they need it.”
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:
Dan Ashley M: 07508 080349 E: d.ashley@unison.co.uk
Mark Conrad M: 07809 623703 E: m.conrad@unison.co.uk
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