UNISON warns Government – staff must not pay for funding NHS funding gap

Responding to the annoucement that the NHS in England faces a cut of up to £2bn, Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health, said: “

 ”The prospect of a further £2bn cut in the NHS budget is a real blow for patients and staff.  This Government has wasted precious billions on a massive and unnecessary top down reorganisation and the NHS is on its knees. Nurse patients ratios are reaching dangerous levels in some areas. Earlier this year, a UNISON survey revealed that 65% of nursing staff did not have enough time to spend with patients and as a result 55% reported that care was left undone.

“Starving NHS budgets further will have a significant and noticeable impact on patient care, staff training and hospital infrastructure. The NHS is already under strain because of rising demand and the high cost of expensive drugs and treatments.  Waiting lists are growing and will get even longer. Patients won’t receive the life saving treatment they are entitled to and further cuts will undermine our whole healthcare system. It is sad fact that many health staff including nurses and paramedics are already considering leaving a profession they once were passionate about.

“Every year, staff ‘donate’ £1.5bn in unpaid overtime. We all know the NHS runs on the goodwill on its staff but this is not sustainable when staff are being asked to do more with less. “