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Light bulb hospital 'is meanest' Light bulb hospital 'is meanest'
(40 minutes later)
A hospital that took down light bulbs to save cash has been dubbed "the meanest in Britain" by NHS campaigners.A hospital that took down light bulbs to save cash has been dubbed "the meanest in Britain" by NHS campaigners.
Staff at St Helier Hospital will protest outside the building on 3 March in a national action day over NHS cuts.Staff at St Helier Hospital will protest outside the building on 3 March in a national action day over NHS cuts.
Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Surrey and London and needs to save £24m, defended the light bulb step as a finance recovery move.Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Surrey and London and needs to save £24m, defended the light bulb step as a finance recovery move.
But Health Emergency said management consultants were getting "a fat fee", while staff morale was "rock bottom".But Health Emergency said management consultants were getting "a fat fee", while staff morale was "rock bottom".
Geoff Martin, spokesman of the NHS pressure group Health Emergency, said: "St Helier is the meanest hospital in Britain and is an example of everything that is wrong in the NHS. Geoff Martin, spokesman of the NHS pressure group, said: "St Helier is the meanest hospital in Britain and is an example of everything that is wrong in the NHS.
"Staff morale is at rock bottom and the trust is being run by management consultants getting paid a fat fee for dreaming up the most outrageous penny-pinching cuts.""Staff morale is at rock bottom and the trust is being run by management consultants getting paid a fat fee for dreaming up the most outrageous penny-pinching cuts."
We will not waste public money Trust chief executive, Graham Smith
And Kevin O'Brien, spokesman for Unison, the union which represents health workers, said: "Staff are furious at the way their services are being ripped apart by wave after wave of cuts and threats of redundancy."And Kevin O'Brien, spokesman for Unison, the union which represents health workers, said: "Staff are furious at the way their services are being ripped apart by wave after wave of cuts and threats of redundancy."
'Price hikes' About 40 light bulbs were taken down in hospital corridors and communal areas to cut the trust's £3m yearly electricity bill, but clinical areas were unaffected, the trust confirmed on Wednesday.
About 40 light bulbs were taken down in hospital corridors and communal areas, but clinical areas were unaffected, the trust confirmed on Wednesday. The trust is aiming to cut 480 posts and close 200 beds over 18 months - 80 beds had already been closed and posts were being reduced by not filling vacant ones and cutting down on bank and agency staff.
It said it was "imperative" for the trust to reduce its £3m yearly electricity bill after "significant price hikes". Chief Executive Graham Smith said: "We will not waste public money and as far as possible we will make savings on areas such as energy costs rather than putting jobs at risk."
The trust is aiming to cut 480 posts and close 200 beds over 18 months under savings plans. He said the financial recovery plan would ensure the trust balanced its books by March 2008, and added the trust had to respond to changes in the NHS and in the way medicine was delivered.
A spokesman said 80 beds had already been closed and posts were being reduced by cutting down on bank and agency staff, with full-time staff being moved to other roles.
Health Emergency has previously criticised the trust for asking patients to wear their own nightwear where possible, and asking hospital office staff to empty bins in order to save money.
The trust runs two hospitals, Epsom General Hospital in Epsom, and St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, south London.