Mid and South Essex NHS Trust offer staff voluntary redundancy and bed reductions
UNISON have expressed concern over the move, which MSEFT say is to make sure the taxpayers' money is spent effectively and improve patient care
In a statement released today, the Union of Public Service Workers (UNISON) has raised concerns about the proposed measures by the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) to 'cut' staff and reduce bed capacity across its hospitals.
The trust, facing financial strain, intends to initiate a voluntary severance scheme to eliminate "non-frontline clinical" positions, alongside closing some beds.
UNISON reports that trust leaders have not provided clarity on which specific roles are at risk and how the voluntary redundancies align with previous plans to eliminate 600 positions through non-vacancy filling.
Furthermore, the union highlights that MSEFT, already operating near capacity, is planning bed closures.
The closure of the 27-bed Stambridge ward in Southend University Hospital and the reduction of 27 beds at Chelmsford’s Broomfield Hospital's Bardfield ward have been confirmed.
Joyce Aldridge, UNISON Basildon, Southend, and Mid Essex Health branch secretary says: "It’s clear MSEFT desperately needs a cash injection, but its senior managers also need to start being more open and transparent about how they’re going to manage this difficult situation and what they’re planning to do with crucial beds and key staff."
In response, Matthew Hopkins, Chief Executive of MSEFT, stated, "We are changing our hospitals to make best use of resources and refocussing our staff teams. We have begun planning for this work and have been briefing our staff as we have made suggested changes."
Hopkins clarified that "no staff will lose their jobs as result of these bed changes, no staff will be asked to move sites." He emphasized that adjusting bed numbers is a routine practice within the NHS to optimize resource allocation.
UNISON's regional organizer for the east of England, Samuel Older, emphasized concerns about the impact of the proposed cuts on patient care and the need for increased funding and transparency from trust management.
"By ensuring that there are less staff, that just doesn't make sense. We need to invest in the staff to be able to fund those."
Emphasizing the importance of involving frontline staff in decision-making processes, Older stated, "They're the frontline. They need to be involved with those decisions to say, 'this isn't going to work' because it's just going to mean that more people are queuing up in corridors."
Addressing potential actions if concerns are not addressed, Older stated, "Obviously, we would support our Members in that process. We're in the business to keep people in jobs and to support the public, not to obviously have less people working in the NHS and fewer beds."
Despite assurances from MSEFT regarding staff retention and patient care, UNISON remains apprehensive about the implications of the proposed measures, urging for more transparency and consultation with frontline staff in decision-making processes.