Around 70 people have staged an angry demonstration against £30.8 million health cuts in Fife.
Union members who fear the 5% cut to NHS Fife’s budget will have a negative effect on local people, made their feelings known outside Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.
Brandishing placards and banners, they branded the move “austerity max” and called on the Scottish Government to come up with more money.
John Gillespie, chairman of Unite the Union’s Fife area activist committee, said yesterday’s action was just the start of a long campaign to preserve the region’s health service.
“These cuts will have an impact on the people of Fife, on Fife Council through the health and social care partnership and on the community not-for-profit sector,” he said.
“It’s going to impact on everybody and we can’t allow it to continue.”
He added: “It’s austerity max as far as I’m concerned. You tell me where £30.8m can be cut from budgets without it having any impact.”
The unions gained the backing of Fife Council leader David Ross and several Labour councillors who addressed the demonstrating workers.
A number of passing drivers also honked their horns in support.
Later they travelled to the Scottish Parliament where they had asked to meet all of the region’s MSPs to discuss the cuts.
They were met by Labour’s deputy leader Alex Rowley and MSP Claire Baker who said they shared the unions’ concerns.
Mr Rowley congratulated members for leading the fight against the cuts.
“They are absolutely clear, and I think they are absolutely right, that it’s impossible to take that level of cuts from NHS Fife’s budget without having a detrimental impact on services and people,” he said.
Mr Rowley had previously expressed fears that NHS Fife’s financial position would leave health services in the region in a critical condition.
The health board’s interim director of finance Carol Potter said the extent of the challenge faced was unprecedented and revealed potential job losses and cuts to bed numbers.
Unite and Unison now intend to address next Thursday’s full Fife Council meeting in Glenrothes following a demonstration outside.
