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Crisis plans to axe hospital beds Strike warning over hospital cuts
(about 7 hours later)
Radical proposals to cut 150 beds at Belfast's main hospitals and freeze recruitment are to be discussed this week. Health union officials have said they may take industrial action over Belfast Health Trust's plans to cut 152 beds at two hospitals in the city.
Shop stewards from the Unison health union have been called to an emergency meeting later to discuss the proposals. The reductions will be at the Royal Victoria Hospital and Belfast City Hospital and are expected to be introduced at the start of November.
The bed cuts are the Belfast Health Trust's response to the government's demands for efficiency savings of about £700m. The trust's plans are part of its efforts to meet 3% efficiency savings.
The health minister said he had hoped the health service would be exempt. "I have to say we're definitely talking strike," Patricia McKeown of health union Unison said.
But Michael McGimpsey said his proposal in April had received little support from MLAs. "What form that will take is difficult to predict at the minute.
The trust's proposals are that 75 beds be axed at the Royal Victoria Hospital and 75 at the City Hospital from 1 November. "Where we get to the stage where we know and we have the evidence that direct patient care is affected in certain areas I think people will react by taking industrial action."
The trust is also proposing cutting all over-time from 1 October. Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said health budgets were not exempt from wider cuts.
There would be no more agency staff, no use of bank staff except in extreme emergencies and any promotions would only be advertised internally. "I have asked in the past that health should be excused from these efficiencies but unfortunately could not get the support of other parties other than the PUP to that move.
"So we are in a situation where we have to find these efficiencies and trusts are finding it very difficult," he said.
"They are reporting deficits and these deficits are not permissible under Treasury rules."
The bed cuts are the Belfast Health Trust's response to the government's demands of the health service for efficiency savings of about £700m over three years.
This could be a big blow to the workings of a hospital Marie Louise Connolly
The trust's proposals are that half the 152 beds be axed at the Royal Victoria Hospital and the rest at the City Hospital from 1 November.
It is also proposing cutting all overtime from 1 October.
There would be no more agency staff 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."
Lily Kerr from 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.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" .