Low-paid health workers including nurses look set to lose jobs or pay. The move would break one of two promises made by David Cameron and George Osborne.
Low-paid frontline health workers, including nurses, are set to lose either pay or jobs in what would amount to a breach of one of two key Tory promises. The latest unwinding follows the news, first reported by Left Foot Forward, that the Tory-led Government’s promise to protect NHS spending had come unstuck.
The Observer today reports that:
The NHS plans to make 35,000 nurses, cleaners and medical secretaries redundant unless staff accept a pay deal that will see them lose up to several thousand pounds a year…
The 1.1 million workers facing the dilemma are mostly the lowest-paid, who, in common with other public sector workers, are already facing two years with no pay rise from April. They are on NHS pay bands 1-6, earning between £13,653 and £34,189.
In an interview with Andrew Marr on the Sunday before the general election, David Cameron said:
“any cabinet minister if I win the election, if we win the election, who comes to me and says, “Here are my plans” and they involve frontline reductions, they’ll be sent straight back to their department to go away and think again.”
Cuts to frontline jobs in the health service would follow the cuts already announced in the police force and justice system. Meanwhile, George Osborne used the Budget to announce:
“That is why the Government is asking the public sector to accept a two-year pay freeze. But we will protect the lowest paid.
“In the past I have said that we would be able to exclude the one million public sector workers earning less than £18,000 from a one year pay freeze. Today, because we have had to ask for a two year freeze, I extend the protection to cover the 1.7 million public servants who earn less than £21,000.
So either Cameron’s promise of frontline reductions or Osborne’s promise on low paid public servants will be breached. No wonder Mike Jackson of Unison said NHS workers faced “a very tough choice, to accept that they should take a drop in their living standards to save the jobs of their colleagues in some cases”.
76 Responses to “Another Tory broken promise on health”
Jim Richardson
Another Tory broken promise on health http://j.mp/eHISX8 NHS low paid to lose wages or jobs /by @wdjstraw v @aaronjohnpeters
Jacob Richardson
RT @aaronjohnpeters: Another Tory broken promise on health http://t.co/rKIVoLO via @ shr.lc Very strong piece by @wdjstraw
scandalousbill
Bob,
In addition to Mr Sensible’s comment, there is no need for another go. If you read the article you referenced you will see that you have misquoted.
While the banks may have lots of money they certainly are not lending either to small business or mortgage applicants, are they?
scandalousbill
Meanwhile back at the topic of the OP. a major impact within public health provision and administration will occur with the shift of major budgetary responsibility to the GP level. Unless a naive assumption is made that during this transition, (which in itself will be a nightmare in change management), there will not be an increased demand placed upon frontline staff in the health service to handle case work based upon the old and new systems, the cuts will most likely result in a deterioration in care standards and an increase in waiting lists.
As well NHS hospital cleanliness has been a major concern for some time. The systems ability to cope effectively with epidemic situations like the receent swine flu, are also in doubt.
Mr. Sensible
Bill I think it is for that reason that the Coalition said no more reorganizations of the NHS.