Nursing posts to be cut
Published: 09 October 2008
RCN Northern Ireland voices concerns over nursing post cuts
RCN Northern Ireland has expressed deep concern over proposals to cut 722 nursing posts across Northern Ireland during the next three years.
The plans, drawn up by Northern Ireland's five HSC trusts in order to meet Comprehensive Spending Review efficiency targets, were announced by Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety Michael McGimpsey MLA to the Northern Ireland Assembly Health Committee on Thursday 9 October 2008. In total, some 2475 health and social care service posts will be lost by 2011, with 925 administrative and clerical posts and 450 social services posts also being cut, compared with just 11 medical posts.
In response to the announcement, RCN Northern Ireland Director Mary Hinds said: “We are deeply concerned that patient care will suffer as a result of these substantial cuts to nursing posts, and are extremely disappointed that nurses are being targeted in this way. The Comprehensive Spending Review is intended to release funding for re-investment in frontline services but you can't get any more frontline than nurses. Nurses are the backbone of the health service and any cut in the number of nurses will affect everyone.
"Nurses across Northern Ireland are working hard to provide services and are regularly working unpaid overtime. Should these plans be implemented, we are very worried not only about the nurses who may lose their jobs, but also for those left behind who will inevitably be under even greater pressure. Patient groups are continually feeding back to us about the pressures they notice that nurses are under and it is unimaginable that this situation could be made worse.
"We would urge nurses across Northern Ireland to make their voices heard in the workplace, in their local community and to their local representatives in order to make the point that these cuts are unacceptable. We appreciate that the Minister has difficult decisions to make, but drastically cutting the numbers of nurses in the health service is quite simply not the answer.”