MP backs nurses’ campaign and demands that nursing jobs are not cut locally
10/05/2006
Mike Hancock, MP (Lib Dem – Portsmouth South) in the wake of the current problems in the NHS is backing the Royal College of Nursing’s campaign to “keep patients safe” and for nursing jobs not to be cut. He has also written to the local NHS Hospital Trust calling on them not to make cuts in nursing staff.
The RCN is campaigning under the banner “Keep nurses working: keep patients safe” to save nursing jobs and to maintain the progress that has been made in improving patient care. They are holding a rally and lobby of Parliament this Thursday, 11th May 2006 which Mike Hancock is supporting.
Mike is also backing a parliamentary motion in support of the campaign. A survey, conducted for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found that six out of 10 senior nurses said that they did not have enough staff to give their patients the standards of care they would like.
The RCN says on its campaign website: “Short-term, reactive cuts to services are unlikely to deliver either greater efficiency or lower costs. The public has a right to expect a range of locally delivered high quality services. The distribution of those services should not be dictated by short term financial targets.”
Mike Hancock as a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Multiple Sclerosis is also concerned that some specialist Multiple Sclerosis (MS) nurses will be under threat.
The MS Society’s Nurse Fund has invested over £4 million into more than 100 MS nurse and specialist posts across the UK since 1999, by working in partnership with the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry. This has brought the total number of nurses in post to more than 200. The MS society reports that the have made a huge impact upon the care and services available for people affected by MS.
The MS Society now fears that some of these specialist posts, which they have fought hard to establish, are going to be seen as “soft targets” and therefore vulnerable in the current NHS deficits crisis.
Government figures show the number of managers in the NHS has doubled in the last ten years. And in April doubt was thrown onto the £6 billion NHS computer system when leading academic computer scientists said questioned whether it had been properly designed and said it should be investigated.
Mike Hancock said: “The Government should invest in doctors and nurses and allow them to do the best for their patients. Their expensive computer systems are not the answer. When in doubt, their answer seems to be to throw in an extra manager. What they should do is allow NHS trusts to manage their deficits in a flexible way. Recruiting nurses one minute and then sacking them the next is not an efficient or sensible way to run a health service.”
Letter to Chief Executive of Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust
Ursula Ward
Chief Executive
Portsmouth Hospital NHS Trust
De La Court House
Queen Alexandria Hospital
Portsmouth
PO6 3LY
10 May 2006
Dear Chief Executive
You will be aware that there is considerable concern in the wake of problems in the NHS about cuts in nursing and medical staff. I am writing to you to urge you not to make cuts in nurses and doctors. I am sure you will be aware that a survey for the Royal College of Nursing has found that six out of ten senior nurses said that they did not have enough staff to give their patients the standards of care they would like. The RCN has also said: “Short-term, reactive cuts to services are unlikely to deliver either greater efficiency or lower costs. The public has a right to expect a range of locally delivered high quality services. The distribution of those services should not be dictated by short term financial targets.”
You may also be aware that the MS Society is concerned that specialist MS nurses may come under particular threat. I would hope that you could give a guarantee that you will not make cuts in MS specialist nurses as they offer a vital service to people with MS.
I look forward to receiving your reply.
Best wishes
Yours sincerely
MIKE HANCOCK CBE MP
