Jobs threat at Derriford hospital


Steve Merritt

Derriford Hospital in Plymouth is to axe 281 posts as part of a savage £31 million cuts package. Frontline NHS workers will be forced out of their jobs, including a shocking 145 nurses.

There have already been job losses from last year’s butchering of £20 million, resulting in 30 staff being told they no longer have their job.

Together with the devastating planned closure of two operating theatres and a massive reduction of 130 beds, these savage cuts are going to decimate the lives of NHS workers and the residents of Plymouth.

Helen O’Shea, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer, is quoted as saying the cuts are being made “intelligently and safely” and that, “In turn, it allows us to reduce the number of beds and staff we need, and consequently to reduce our workforce and our pay costs.”

Union leaders have warned that there are already staff shortages in some departments. Once again, we see hard working NHS workers having to pay the price of this ruthless government policy.

Plymouth Socialist Party actively campaigns for a publicly owned and fully funded NHS and will continue to fight for the rights of health workers and patients.


See DutyToProvide.net for more on attacks on the health service.