Fewer beds and Staff proposed for Belfast Hospitals

Radical proposals to cut 150 beds at Belfast's main hospitals and freeze recruitment are to be discussed this week.

In response to he Government's Comprehensive Spending Review the Belfast Health Trust has proposed fewer beds and all round staffing changes. Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has said savings of £700m have to be made in Northern Ireland over the next three years.

The Trust has proposed 75 beds be axed at the Royal Victoria Hospital and 75 at the City Hospital which would take effect from 1 November 2009. As well as the proposed reduction in bed numbers, the trust is also proposing cutting all over-time from 1 October 2009, no more agency staff, no use of bank staff except in extreme emergencies and any promotions would only be advertised internally.

In response to these radical changes being advanced by the Trust a spokesman for the trade union, Unison, said the proposed cuts were "heavy duty" and predicted a profound impact on patient care.

A spokeswoman for the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said, "To ensure that we meet our statutory requirement to break even at the end of each financial year, we examine all possibilities for cost efficiencies and savings on an ongoing basis.  She added however that ..."no decisions have been taken" .

BBC NI health correspondent Marie Louise Connolly said: "This could be a big blow to the workings of a hospital. "One can only imagine what impact it will have on patient waiting lists. If the swine flu pandemic does come and if staff go off sick, what plan will there be to bring in additional staff to pick up the slack?  If we go by this proposal there will not be additional staff."