Free facing cuts to stem massive loss

THE ROYAL Free is losing £100,000 per day – forcing the Hampstead hospital to cut 100 beds and 20 junior doctors posts in a bid to stop a £10.2m debt from spiralling out of control.
Now staff are demanding an inquiry into how the debts have manage to pile up so much that patient care is under threat and jobs could be lost.
One senior nurse, who did not want the New Journal to reveal her name, said yesterday that mis-management was to blame for the troubles. She said: “They have been aware of these problems for three years and have been in talks with the Primary Care Trust and the Strategic Health Authority – but no one body has come up with a solution.
“We run a good hospital – and now that is under threat because of these vicious cuts. There must be an enquiry into how the debt has built up.”
New chief executive Andrew Way – appointed in May – unveiled drastic cuts, including closing wards, and bringing services run off-site to the Pond Street hospital, on Monday.
The plans, which will start from September 1, include moving the Free’s acclaimed stroke unit out of Queen Mary’s House in Whitestone Pond, to the hospital’s main site.
Other measures include asking staff to turn out lights and close windows to eat into an electricity bill which is currently £1m a year over budget.
Sweeping changes will be made to the running of 23 of the hospital’s wards – including patients being sent home for weekends.
But Mr Way promises patient care will not suffer and no permanent staff will be sacked.
He said: “We had situations where three doctors are attending one patient. Staff will work in a more efficient way.”
But even with these cuts, Mr Way admitted he did not think the debt would be cleared.
He said: “I would be surprised if the cuts were enough. We want to change the way the hospital approaches inpatients – we will now admit patients on the day of surgery and not before.”
Hospital staff have until the end of the month to consider and comment on Mr Way’s plans.
Other staff members the New Journal spoke to yesterday (Wednesday) said they did not believe management’s promises that no one would be sacked.
One non-medical staff member said: “In the works departments they have been running below their usual numbers for months. This building is aging and takes a massive amount of manpower to keep going. It’s hard to cope at our current levels. Any more cuts would be disastrous.”
Another non-medical member of staff said “Night portering has been slashed to the bone already – and domestic staff work very hard for very little pay. Any more cuts will affect the service they provide.”
Jonathan Fielden, the deputy chairman of British Medical Association’s consultants committee, said: “This is not an isolated case. We are hearing examples of reductions in patient care as Trusts try to balance their books.
“Cutting back on services puts at risk the long term quality of care.
“Despite increases in funding, managers face balancing rising patient activity with an ever-increasing number of initiatives, not all of which are properly thought out or funded.”
Commenting on reports that training posts were being withdrawn at the trust, a BMA spokesperson added: “European limits on junior doctors’ hours have already reduced the amount of manpower available to hospitals. Losing training posts will make it harder to cope with heavy workloads.”
Mr Way said there might be some uncertainty about the changes but staff would understand something needed to be done.
He said: “Staff will be concerned, but the changes are in their interests.”