RCN response to the Health Select Committee report into Public Expenditure

Published: 24 January 2012

Commenting on today’s report by the Health Select Committee, Royal College of Nursing Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

“We agree with the report’s findings that the Health and Social Bill has caused disruption and distraction. We feel that the dual impact of the reform process and the full extent of the efficiency savings is now seriously destabilising the NHS. Indeed, in our opinion the bill has created such turmoil that it should be stopped.  Now is the time for the Government to get a grip of the situation and work with organisations such as the RCN to stabilise the NHS.

“The Health Select Committee also concurs with many of the genuine concerns that nurses have about the efficiency savings. Our own research has shown that some Trusts are making reckless short term cuts to services and nursing posts in a misguided attempt to make these savings, rather than engaging in intelligent service redesign.  In England alone, 48,000 posts are earmarked to go, and we know that the ‘salami slicing’ of services that the report identifies is increasingly widespread. This will undoubtedly have a deep and potentially dangerous impact on patient care.  As the report acknowledged, long term planning and more integrated health and social care services could provide huge benefits for patient care.

“We have always accepted that savings can be made in the NHS by reducing waste and inefficiency, but cutting frontline staff and services that vulnerable patients rely on is just not the way to do it. When the “Nicholson Challenge” of saving £20 billion in England by 2014 was announced, we were told that these savings would be reinvested back into frontline services.  However, we can see no concrete evidence that this is happening.

“Last week, it was suggested that the RCN’s opposition to the bill was based around the proposed pension changes. This is not about vested interests but honestly held concerns about the state of the health service and the impact on patient care. It is heartening that an all party group of MPs have echoed our concerns in this report.”

ENDS
 
Notes for Editors

 
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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.