The Royal College of Nursing has blasted a plan which could make Kirklees’ cash-strapped NHS save a further £208m.

The union has criticised NHS bosses for developing the Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) programme ‘almost in total secret’.

Under the West Yorkshire and Harrogate STP, Kirklees must save the cash by 2021 as part of the plan to offset recurring debts in the region of over £1bn a year.

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Regional Director for Yorkshire, Glenn Turp, slammed national NHS chiefs for failing to consult staff and patients.

Mr Turp said: “It is incredible that plans which will fundamentally change the NHS have so far been developed almost in total secret. These plans will affect the delivery of quality care to patients.

“To date, there has been an absence of any meaningful engagement with staff, patients and local communities over the plans.

“Any planning done without the proper involvement of the public, clinicians, staff and trade unions could have serious consequences and could result in changes and reduction to services, such as the closure of some hyper-acute stroke units.”

NHS logo
NHS logo

Mr Turp urged NHS bosses to start consulting with staff, patients and the wider community before the plans were rolled out.

He said: “The RCN expects that any changes to services and staff roles should be in the best interests of patients and be based on delivering safe quality care – and not just be financially driven.

“It is critical that those involved in developing STPs directly engage with their staff, trade unions and their local communities to share and consider what the plans will mean for the care and services delivered across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

“The RCN will be urging its members to get involved in the next stage of the STP process to ensure that nursing and patient concerns are heard.”

Kirklees cabinet member for health, Clr Viv Kendrick, said the amount the local NHS was expected to save was ‘terrifying’.

Clr Viv Kendrick

And leader of Kirklees’ Labour cabinet, Clr David Sheard, added: “I would be extremely surprised if anyone in this chamber would agree to the plans that they are putting forward at the moment.”

The Government’s STPs programme is designed to offset the NHS’s growing deficit caused by an increasing elderly population and population with complex health and social needs.

Local NHS chiefs have been ordered to draw up STPs showing how they can make local NHS economies sustainable. Many NHS campaigners believe the programme will lead to a reduced NHS and further privatisation.