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Bedford Hospital
12/3/10 - Latest from BBC Website - here
PRESS RELEASE - 11th March 2010
HOSPITAL SENDS BEGGING MESSAGE TO STAFF
Staff working at Bedford Hospital NHS Trust have received a message from the Trust begging them to save £250,000 over the next three weeks in an attempt to avoid a year end deficit & states that this could make the difference between whether the hospital becomes a Foundation Trust or not.
Launching its ‘Every Penny Counts Campaign’ yesterday the Trust is asking staff to adopt income generators such as avoiding purchasing any non-essential items, dramatically reducing printing & photocopying, purchasing their food at the over priced Trust catering outlets [which is too expensive for a number of staff who are low paid in any event].
Activities directly affecting patients that staff are being urged to get involved in to save money, include maximising the number of patients that are seen & treated, only using disposable items if actually required & using cheaper medication/drug alternatives.
UNISON, the largest UK public sector union, is appalled at the Trusts begging message to staff, particularly in light of the fact that the Trust has spent many thousands of pounds in its campaign to achieve the meaningless ‘Foundation Trust’ status.
UNISON Regional Organiser John Toomey states that “The Trust has spent a huge amount of money campaigning for to get Foundation Trust status, involving the loss of hundreds of jobs & pay cuts for the lower paid. For the Trust to now go to its staff with a begging bowl to scrape together so called savings & stating that this will make a difference to whether it gets Foundation status or not…well, if it wasn’t so serious & that its not April Fools day yet it would be laughable. It is ridiculous for Trust managers, many of whom were easily able to afford last years £75.00 a head Trust Charity Ball, to be asking staff to use the over priced hospital restaurant & cut back on patient care in order to fund the £250.000 deficit.”
Mr Toomey went on to comment further & said “As far as UNISON can see there will be no benefit to patients, staff or the people of Bedford from this venture. Many of the hospitals which have been recently severely criticised for their excessive mortality rates & lousy patient care are Foundation Trusts. I would strongly urge UNISON members & staff working for this Trust to boycott this latest move by the Trust”
MEDIA CONTACT
John Toomey UNISON Regional Organiser 07908 672894
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