NHS must retain and grow its workforce to meet patient needs

Commenting on new NHS planning guidance aimed at reducing treatment waiting times, and the announcement of job losses at NHS England, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said today (Thursday):

“The NHS is in dire financial straits after more than a decade without enough cash to stand still, let alone cope with ever-increasing demand.

“Winter pressures, with long ambulance handover delays and an epidemic of corridor care, have exposed multiple weaknesses in the NHS.

“Now the NHS is being told it must stop ‘overspending’ and look at cutting much-needed jobs and services. This is precisely the opposite of what should be happening and takes the NHS even further off the road to recovery.

“The NHS works as one team, and support roles can’t be cut without affecting patient care.

“Health services are still well over 100,000 staff short today and need to grow their workforce by more than half again over the next decade to meet future need.

“The government must do all it can to retain the staff it has. Or risk more health workers turning their backs on the NHS for good. That will only waste more money through soaring agency bills and costs for hiring and training.

“Staff working within the NHS England central body have already been through the mill with endless reorganisations over the past few years. Job losses are a significant blow and unions will be working to ensure redundancies are avoided.

“Everyone wants the government’s 10-year plan for the NHS to succeed and that requires staff to buy into it. But what’s happening now only risks making that harder.”

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:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

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