Commenting on new figures showing a record number of vacancies in the NHS in England, and government changes to health targets, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said today (Thursday):
“Staffing shortages are getting worse by the day. That means constant struggles to fill rotas and move people to where they’re most needed.
“The government needs a long-term answer to workforce pressures. Ignoring targets that show the public how safe and effective their NHS services are won’t fix the underlying funding gap. Nor will removing the people needed to manage the never-ending juggling act.
“Any solution to the workforce crisis has to begin with an urgent commitment to increasing NHS pay and protecting staff against rising household costs That’s the way to ensure they stay working where they’re most needed.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.