UNISON, the UK’s largest union, said today that it was truly shocked by the scale of job losses and call centre closures announced by NHS Direct today, warning that it is a disastrous move for patients and staff.
NHS Direct today announced that 24 out of 30 call centres will close, and 50% of its nursing staff and other health workers will lose their jobs.
Given that many of these NHS call centres are in areas of high unemployment there are very real fears for the staffs future job prospects.
The Government spending millions on making nurses and NHS professionals redundant at a time when the NHS is under great strain is truly scandalous.
Sandra Maxwell, UNISON Convenor at NHS Direct, said:
“Hundreds of dedicated nursing and NHS professionals are to be made redundant at a huge cost, when their skills could be used within the new NHS111 service if only the Department of Health took some decisive action.”
Michael Walker, UNISON National Officer for NHS Direct, said:
“The Secretary of State for Health should step in and stop this disaster immediately, we need action and we need it now.
“Axing dedicated hard working nurses is never a good idea at any time, but this will directly impact on patient care. There is no doubt that patients will suffer as a result of this move. UNISON is committed to working with management to minimise job loses and closures.
Half of NHS Directs 1,500 frontline nursing & NHS professional staff are to be axed.
Twenty-four out of thirty NHS Direct call centres will close including large centres in Bristol, Sheffield, Wakefield, Nottingham, Hull, Stafford Chelmsford and Newcastle.
