UNISON head of health Christina McAnea said:
“In his report on Mid Staffordshire, Robert Francis said ‘it should be patients – not numbers – which counted’. Mid Staffordshire foundation trust have taken this advice, and turned things around, but in doing so, have shown the true financial cost of providing high quality care when resources have been bled dry by cuts.
“The first priority for the administrators must be the needs of the patients and the community served by Mid Staffordshire foundation trust. UNISON urges the administrators to ensure that safe, efficient services are maintained, and that the operational functions are not compromised while the finances are dealt with.
“Of course lessons from the past will have to be learned, but there is a big commitment from the staff to work for the best interests of the patients; solving the financial problems is a priority, but it must not supersede the needs of the patients or the provision of care.
“Due to government cuts the NHS is beleaguered by financial problems. Mid Staffs have worked hard to get their house in order, and the result has been a financial defect; if trusts are to take Robert Francis to his word, and put patients before money, then the government must too, and remove the financial shackles their cuts agenda have imposed.”
ENDS
