London Ambulance Service announces £53m budget cut (From News Shopper)
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London Ambulance Service announces £53m budget cut
1:36pm Tuesday 12th April 2011 in Health News By Mark Chandler
890 posts are expected to go
UNIONS have responded angrily at plans to make £53m savings in the London Ambulance Service and cut 890 jobs.
The five-year plan would see 890 posts cut from its 5,000 staff, who will be informed of the changes at a series of conferences in the next few weeks.
Of the planned job cuts, 560 are expected to go from frontline posts, with the remainder coming from management and support services.
Chief executive Peter Bradley said: “Unfortunately we are not immune to the financial pressures facing the NHS.
“This means all areas of our business will face closer scrutiny as we look for ways to make savings while improving the care we give to patients.
“But with nearly 80 per cent of our budget spent on staff costs it would be impossible to make the savings required without removing posts.”
The Unison union has blamed the cuts on the government Branch secretary Eric Roberts said: “I am shocked by the size of these cuts. This is a cull of highly trained staff. It is disgusting, morally wrong & unacceptable.”
Regional organiser Phil Thompson said: “These cuts are so deep they may not heal. If allowed to be carried out they will put at risk the many Londoners who rely on the service every day.”
Comments(6)
Eagles_Man
says...
3:45pm Tue 12 Apr 11
StayFrosty wrote:"Wow, what fantastic news. So that's the fire service, police and now ambulances. Thanks to everyone who voted conservative. Give yourselves a pat on the back."
Wow, what fantastic news. So that's the fire service, police and now ambulances. Thanks to everyone who voted conservative. Give yourselves a pat on the back.
...
I think you meant:
"Thanks to everyone who voted Labour since 1997 - you kept in power a government who spent all the money and then borrowed to the hilt to spend more with no plans to pay it back. Now in opposition their union paymasters are making out it's all the evil Tories fault that they should want to spend no more than they're getting in."
.
Go on then, now blame the bankers ...
jaded1
says...
4:34pm Tue 12 Apr 11
e change/five-a day workers.
Eagles-man is spot on.If Labour had won the election they would have done more or less the same.
cake and eat it
says...
11:06am Wed 13 Apr 11
if we have a bigger population and nhs services are being cut this will cause longer waiting times and possibly deaths in our communities?
if cuts are inevitable can someone please explain why this government has increased the amount of overseas aid given out?
also, this government has increased foreign aid to countries that has more millionaires per ratio than this small country? ie pakistan?
if our libraries, swimming pools, day centres, and front line services have to be cut because there is no money available, how come they have then found and increased overseas aid then?
it seems ridiculous and if the politicians are not going to listen to our concerns that fragmenting our communities with savage cuts is painful for us, yes, but sending our money abroad is unacceptable. cheers.
Its Karl!
says...
11:11am Wed 13 Apr 11
bucko_bebucko
says...
11:20am Wed 13 Apr 11
Its Karl! wrote:i take it you are refering to burnley where a bnp mayor is to be elected after serving for a year as deputy mayor ? whilst i have no political preference towards any political party, i can fully understand how people will feel they are being negleted by this and previous governments and feel they are trapped and will vote for the ukip or bnp party's, i,m afraid this is the sign of the times and we'll see a more and more disgruntled public turning towards thos politically who they feel will represnt them more than the present political administration does.
All you have to do is vote in a good Mayor! V
StayFrosty says...
2:51pm Tue 12 Apr 11