Thousands of NHS staff in England to lose jobs after deal approved
Thousands of NHS workers in England have volunteered for pay-offs (redundancy) after a deal was reached with the Treasury. This deal will allow the health service to overspend this year to pay the £1 billion one-off bill.
The government revealed earlier this year that 18,000 admin and managerial positions at NHS England and local health boards will be cut. NHS chiefs and health ministers were in discussions with the Treasury over how to pay for this. The BBC claims that a compromise has been reached, allowing the NHS to defer the cost. The NHS is expected to recoup the money in future years as the job cuts generate savings.
Overall, government estimates indicate that no more money is going into the NHS beyond what was agreed at the spending review this year—an increase of £29 billion a year above inflation by 2028-29.
'Pragmatic Step'
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, told BBC Breakfast that patients and NHS workers felt the health service had 'too many layers of administration... and bureaucracy'.
In his address later on Wednesday, he is expected to say, 'People want to see the front line prioritised, and that is just what we're doing.' He will also tell NHS leaders, 'We're finally on the road to recovery.'
In a speech to healthcare executives at the NHS Providers' conference in Manchester, Streeting is expected to state: 'I want to reassure taxpayers that every penny they are asked to pay will be spent wisely. We're now pushing the accelerator and slashing unnecessary bureaucracy in order to reinvest the funds in front-line care.'
'It won't happen overnight, but with our investment and modernisation, we can rebuild our NHS so it is there for you when you need it once more.'
The reforms are expected to save £1 billion a year by the end of the parliament to provide patients with better services. According to the government, every £1 billion saved from bureaucracy would fund an additional 116,000 hip and knee surgeries.
NHS England is expected to be merged back into the Department of Health within two years, while integrated care boards (ICBs), which plan regional health services, will reduce their headcounts by half.
'This is a pragmatic move that ensures planned redundancies can now take place,' said NHS Providers' chief executive, Daniel Elkeles. 'It reflects the flexibility of a three-year deal, allowing some funds to be brought forward in order to generate future savings to be directed to front-line care.'
'However, we must also acknowledge the position of workers affected by these changes, people who have pledged their service to the NHS and who had a long future.'
But Patricia Marquis of the Royal College of Nursing warned that the redundancies might backfire.
'Front-line services need more investment, but doing so on the backs of thousands of experts... is a false economy. Expert registered nurses working in NHS England and ICBs don't just administer vital public health services and monitor care for the elderly; they also link the NHS and social care services together. To say that these are administrators shows a complete lack of knowledge of their roles and how they support patient care.'
