Warning that NHS cuts could affect Perth Royal Infirmary
A Perth councillor has warned NHS job cuts could have a "knock-on effect" at the town's main hospital.
- By Kirsten Johnson
- Published in the Courier : 01.09.11
- Published online : 01.09.11 @ 01.09pm
Alexander Stewart, leader of the Conservative opposition group, whose constituency includes PRI, raised his concerns after official figures revealed nearly 500 nursing and midwifery posts had been lost in Scotland since the end of March.
The community-led midwife unit in Perth has grown in recent years and the Tory councillor is worried it could begin to struggle.
The cuts, which include 32 positions in Fife and just one in Tayside, means the country has fewer nurses than at any point since 2005. There are 1000 fewer nurses across Scotland than in 2010 — the current level sits at 66,425.
Across the health service in Scotland the number of staff fell by 1410 between March and June. The number of consultants dropped by 0.6%, while professions such as radiography, physiotherapy and speech therapy saw a 0.9% fall.
The number of backroom management staff — those the coalition Westminster Government said were most at risk — was cut by around 2%.
Mr Stewart believes patient care in Perth may well be "jeopardised" as there is a "huge reliance" on agency staff — who will be further stretched — and said staff morale was at a low.
He has written to NHS Tayside chief executive Gerry Marr to seek clarification on what effect the national reduction might have and to ask whether local cuts were in sight.
'Adverse effect'
He told The Courier: "In recent years a lot of work has been achieved to maintain, retain and sustain facilities at PRI, and even provide new facilities, but the axing of NHS posts across Scotland may well have an impact.
"There is a huge reliance on agency staff at present across many of the hospital sites in Tayside and PRI has its share of that."
He added: "The community-led midwife unit has grown recently and makes use of agencies, for example.
"Any reduction in staff numbers will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on patient care and morale and put increased stress on those who are continuing to provide the service."
On Tuesday health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said health boards would only be allowed to cut posts if they could ensure they could benefit patients.
The SNP politician added recent studies showed that waiting times and hospital infections had been driven down.
She promised that by the end of 2011, 90% of patients would be treated within 18 weeks of seeing their GP.
03.23am - 02.09.2011 Eric Muldownie - Dundee, Scotland Report This
The rapid acceleration in the number of nursing posts being lost is bad news for patients.
09.28am - 03.09.2011 Rori - Perth, UK Report This
There is a shortage of doctors and nurses
11.02am - 04.09.2011 Fran - Perth, UK Report This
Perth should be doing more of their patients. Too any PH postcode patients are fobbed off unneccessarily to Dundee.
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