The PM unveiled a “historic” 10-year plan for the NHS that will see funding boosted by £20.5billion a year by 2023-24.
Health chiefs claim up to 500,000 lives could be saved over the next decade. However, one union has criticised the plan to fill the 100,000 staffing black hole. They believe the plan can’t be delivered without the staff to undertake the work.
They claim the much-delayed announcement completely ignores the NHS greatest assets – its workforce – and fails to address the years of real terms pay cuts which have left some nursing wards with vacancy rates of higher than 40%.
Since the extra funding was announced last year, NHS staff received a three year pay deal which will see thousands of staff hit with yet more real terms pay cuts, they claim.
Rachel Harrision, GMB National Officer, said: “The NHS has a staffing black hole of 100,000 people big – it’s the single biggest crisis facing our health service.
“So why on earth is there no mention of staffing issues in today’s long-awaited plan?
“The Conservatives are once again fail to understand of what makes the NHS tick
“How does the Government expect to deliver everything promised in the plan if there are no staff to deliver the services?”
NHS demise: Incompetence or a deliberate act of capitalist vandalism?
