Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is planning on making nearly 150 staff redundant in response to government spending cuts, UNISON says today.
The threatened staff play a vital role in the smooth running of the trust, which operates Addenbrooke’s and Rosie hospitals, says the union.
They include administrators, booking co-ordinators, project managers, clinical educators, operations managers and communications officers.
Ministers have ordered NHS trusts to slash spending on support roles to cut “bureaucracy.” Hundreds of staff have already left in mutually agreed resignation and voluntary redundancy schemes, but the trust says it needs to make further cuts.
Support staff play an essential role in helping clinicians deliver frontline care, as well as in public health initiatives that save the NHS money in the long run, says UNISON.
The compulsory redundancy scheme opens just a week after the government unveiled a 10-year plan for the NHS. However, NHS restructures mean local trusts are losing the staff who would deliver the changes, warns the union.
UNISON Eastern head of health Caroline Hennessy said: “The government’s 10-year plan is make or break for the NHS. But delivering improved care and using better technology relies on administrators, comms officers, operations managers and many other expert staff now anxiously awaiting their P45s.
“Even without ambitious plans for the future, these jobs are needed to keep the trust running. Frontline staff rely on support workers to deliver care.
“The NHS needs real investment, not savage cuts, to meet the challenges ahead.”
