11th April 2011
NHS reform: Front-line clinical jobs ‘under threat’
By Nick Triggle
Front-line clinical jobs in the NHS are under threat in England, a union says.
A Royal College of Nursing analysis of 21 NHS trusts where cuts were taking place found more than half of posts under threat were in areas such as nursing and midwifery.
The union said the findings proved the cuts were not just focused on bureaucracy and could have a "catastrophic" effect on care.
But the government said any savings being made should not harm services.
While the health budget has been protected, savings still have to be made because of the rising demands linked to the ageing population, new drugs and lifestyle factors like obesity.
A target of £20bn has been set by 2014-15 – a saving of about 4% a year – which ministers have insisted can be achieved through cutting management costs and by front-line services becoming more efficient.
But the union, which released the findings at the start of its four-day annual conference in Liverpool, said its research showed this was not happening.
Some of the proposed changes that mark the most radical shake up of the NHS to date have been opposed by one of deputy prime minister Nick Clegg’s closest advisers.
Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb has said the plans pose a major "financial risk" to the NHS, and has threatened to quit unless ministers rethink some aspects, such as "the rush" to give GPs control of budgets.
Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, Mr Clegg insisted the changes, including some cuts, were necessary, but said the finer details of the plan were up for debate over the next couple of months.