Health board under fire after announcing job cuts across Greater Glasgow

May 14 2010

HEALTH bosses in Glasgow have been accused of risking patient safety after announcing that more than 1200 jobs are to be shed in the next 18 months.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) said a "redesign" of its services means that it will be able to provide the same quality of care with fewer staff.

In the next 18 months 1,252 full-time jobs - half of them are nursing and midwifery posts - will go.

The health board guaranteed no compulsory redundancies.

But nursing leaders have condemned the move, warning that it would put patient safety at risk.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Scotland called on the health board to "urgently" reconsider the plans.

Norman Provan, its associate director of employment relations, said: "The decision confirms our worst fears and, if implemented, will put patient safety at risk.

"It is simply not possible to cut this number of nursing and other posts without affecting the quality of patient care and patient safety.

"We have been warning for some time that Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board's plans are reckless and put short-term financial considerations ahead of patient need.

"These plans have not been properly thought through. The health board's workforce plans are based on short-term financial need, rather than meeting the needs of patients across Greater Glasgow and Clyde."

The health board claim hundreds of millions of pounds of new investment across the area will make patient care more effective.

An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: "Between 2009 and 2012 we will have spent s350 million on modernising our hospitals and other facilities, equipment and support services.

"This investment will create purpose-built facilities, enabling us to provide care to our patients more efficiently and more effectively.

"By redesigning our services, including a move for some services onto fewer sites, we have identified that we can provide the same high-quality care for our patients with fewer staff - 700 whole time equivalent in 2010/11 year, rising to 1252 whole time equivalent over 18 months."