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NHS job cuts could endanger lives, says nurses' leader NHS job cuts could endanger lives, says nurses' leader
(about 9 hours later)
Job cuts in the NHS in England could endanger patients' lives, the head of the Royal College of Nursing has said.Job cuts in the NHS in England could endanger patients' lives, the head of the Royal College of Nursing has said.
The union fears 27,000 posts will be cut, and many more could be at risk, as part of required efficiency savings of up to £20bn over four years.The union fears 27,000 posts will be cut, and many more could be at risk, as part of required efficiency savings of up to £20bn over four years.
Writing in the Observer, Dr Peter Carter said nurses would have "less time to give each patient and there is no doubt care will suffer".Writing in the Observer, Dr Peter Carter said nurses would have "less time to give each patient and there is no doubt care will suffer".
The Department of Health said reform was "not an option; it is a necessity". The Department of Health said savings would be "reinvested" in patient care.
Mr Carter said the NHS was "now seeing some of the most widespread cuts in its history".Mr Carter said the NHS was "now seeing some of the most widespread cuts in its history".
"The worry is that we have seen time and again what happens when staffing levels are slashed without thinking of the impact on patient care," the RCN general secretary said."The worry is that we have seen time and again what happens when staffing levels are slashed without thinking of the impact on patient care," the RCN general secretary said.
There was "indisputable evidence" linking patient mortality rates to staffing levels, Mr Carter said, citing a study that identified a 26% increase in survival rates in hospitals with the highest patient-to-nurse ratios.There was "indisputable evidence" linking patient mortality rates to staffing levels, Mr Carter said, citing a study that identified a 26% increase in survival rates in hospitals with the highest patient-to-nurse ratios.
'Interminable waits''Interminable waits'
"More than half of nurses have already told us they are too busy to provide the standard of care they would like."More than half of nurses have already told us they are too busy to provide the standard of care they would like.
"When they are seeing further cutbacks, less shift cover, more patients to attend to, they will have less time to give each patient and there is no doubt care will suffer.""When they are seeing further cutbacks, less shift cover, more patients to attend to, they will have less time to give each patient and there is no doubt care will suffer."
He added: "The NHS is not yet returning to the days of interminable waits for treatment and trolleys in corridors, but we are worried that on the trajectory already started, it may only be a matter of time until it does."He added: "The NHS is not yet returning to the days of interminable waits for treatment and trolleys in corridors, but we are worried that on the trajectory already started, it may only be a matter of time until it does."
A Department of Health spokesman said: "If we are to make patient outcomes truly world-class and respond to rising demand, we must reform the NHS so that it can focus its resources on patients and quality. A Department of Health spokeswoman said the government had "protected NHS funding", pointing out that "next year primary care trust allocations are increasing by £2.7bn, an average increase of 3%".
"The NHS White Paper will help to protect patients and give commissioners the powers to take action if unacceptable mistakes happen. Unsafe care is not to be tolerated." She went on: "In this challenging financial climate, we need to get the best value from our protected health budget. The NHS needs to cut out waste and reduce bureaucracy. Every penny saved will be reinvested in frontline patient care.
The reforms laid out in the White Paper do not affect the health services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are devolved to their national administrations. "Our reforms will modernise the NHS, empowering clinical professionals to make best use of the available resources and ensure patients get the quality care they need."