A nurses union has hit out at plans to slash costs at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and Calderdale Royal Hospital.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has responded to The Examiner’s report that the hospitals need to save £20m by next March.
Part of hospital chiefs’ plan to save cash include shedding staff and cutting pay.
RCN Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Glenn Turp said they had “grave concerns” over the news.
“Our priority is always to ensure that services are safe for patients and that the quality of care is maintained,” he said. “It’s also paramount to ensure a safe working environment for our members and staff at the hospitals.
“I am particularly concerned by the suggestion that £0.5 million could be saved from the nursing budget – especially if this involves down banding or re-evaluation of highly-skilled specialist roles.
“Whilst the RCN would welcome an opportunity to allow nurses to spend more time caring for patients by removing some of their non-clinical duties, it is hard to see how cuts of this magnitude could improve their capacity to care for patients.
“We shall be seeking an urgent meeting with the hospitals to clarify the situation and discuss our concerns for the future of patient care and staff morale.”
£20m cuts plan for Huddersfield and Calderdale hospitals revealed - click to read
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