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Crisis plans to axe hospital beds Crisis plans to axe hospital beds
(about 2 hours later)
Radical proposals to cut 150 beds at Belfast's main hospitals and freeze recruitment are to be discussed this week.Radical proposals to cut 150 beds at Belfast's main hospitals and freeze recruitment are to be discussed this week.
They are the Belfast Health Trust's response to the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review. Shop stewards from the Unison health union have been called to an emergency meeting later to discuss the proposals.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has said savings of £700m have to be made in Northern Ireland over three years. The bed cuts are the Belfast Health Trust's response to the government's demands for efficiency savings of about £700m.
The proposals are that 75 beds be axed at the Royal Victoria Hospital and 75 at the City Hospital from 1 November. The health minister said he had hoped the health service would be exempt.
But Michael McGimpsey said his proposal in April had received little support from MLAs.
The trust's proposals are that 75 beds be axed at the Royal Victoria Hospital and 75 at the City Hospital from 1 November.
The trust is also proposing cutting all over-time from 1 October.The trust is also proposing cutting all over-time from 1 October.
There would be no more agency staff, no use of bank staff except in extreme emergencies and any promotions would only be advertised internally.There would be no more agency staff, no use of bank staff except in extreme emergencies and any promotions would only be advertised internally.
BBC NI health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly said: "This could be a big blow to the workings of a hospital.BBC NI health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly said: "This could be a big blow to the workings of a hospital.
"One can only imagine what impact it will have on patient waiting lists."One can only imagine what impact it will have on patient waiting lists.
"If the swine flu pandemic does come and if staff go off sick, what plan will there be to bring in additional staff to pick up the slack?"If the swine flu pandemic does come and if staff go off sick, what plan will there be to bring in additional staff to pick up the slack?
"If we go by this proposal there will not be additional staff.""If we go by this proposal there will not be additional staff."
A spokesman for the trade union, Unison, said the proposed cuts were "heavy duty" and predicted a profound impact on patient care. Lily Kerr from Unison, said the proposed cuts were "heavy duty" and predicted a profound impact on patient care.
She said their members would fight them.
A spokeswoman for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said, "To ensure that we meet our statutory requirement to break even at the end of each financial year, we examine all possibilities for cost efficiencies and savings on an ongoing basis.A spokeswoman for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said, "To ensure that we meet our statutory requirement to break even at the end of each financial year, we examine all possibilities for cost efficiencies and savings on an ongoing basis.
"However, no decisions have been taken" ."However, no decisions have been taken" .