RCN: public will be shocked by NHS finances

Published: 30 October 2012

The Royal College if Nursing has welcomed the publication of a new report which recognises the financial difficulties facing the NHS, but says the public will be shocked by the number of trusts identified as being in deficit or struggling.

The comments were made in response to the publication a report from the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary Dr Peter Carter said that RCN members have, for some time, been alerting the RCN to the financial chaos on the ground. “We’re glad that the committee also recognises this, it is an issue which is starting to have a tangible effect on patient care, and they are right to be alarmed by the scale of the problem,” he said.

The RCN is very concerned by the continuing uncertainty over the failure regime, particularly in terms of the continuity of services.

“This needs to be resolved as a priority if there are so many trusts under such financial threat. As the Health and Social Care Act is implemented, this needs to be resolved so that patient care is not adversely affected by financial chaos,” added Dr Carter.