Efficiency savings should not mean cuts, warns RCN

Published: 14 December 2010

Embargoed until 00.01: Tuesday 14 December 2010

Efficiency savings should not mean cuts, warns RCN

Responding to today’s publication (14 December) of the House of Commons Health Committee’s report on Public Expenditure, Royal College of Nursing Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“This report echoes our fear about the current efficiency challenges facing the NHS. We fully support the Committee’s view that efficiency savings should not be about cuts, but achieving more with the same amount of money. Sadly, with 27,000 posts already ear-marked for cuts, this message is clearly not reaching NHS Trusts. Some Trusts are already cutting jobs and services at an alarming rate, making short-sighted decisions to plug the gaps in their budgets. 

“We welcome the Government’s pledge to protect the health budget, as well as frontline services. However, as the report states, in order to achieve the required savings of £15-20 billion over the next four years, the health service is now expected to perform at a greater efficiency than at any time in its history.

“At a time when the NHS is also facing huge re-organisation, this is an enormous challenge, which we believe will inevitably have a serious impact upon the level of care and services Trusts are able to provide. “

Dr Carter added:
“When the £20 billion efficiency saving challenge was announced, we were told that this money would be reinvested back into frontline services. We have yet to see any evidence that this is happening.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/news/mediacentre.php

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.