Hospital protest is 'not helpful'

James Kell • Published 7 Sep 2010 17:30 2 Comments

ANGRY health campaigners are calling on the Reading public to join a protest against threatened hospital job cuts.

Around 600 posts are set to go at the Royal Berkshire Hospital over the next three years to meet the Government’s NHS cut targets and, despite promises from bosses, some unions and staff members fear frontline services will be hit.

Hospital bosses insisted on Monday that there is no conflict with its staff and that the group - calling itself the Reading Shop Stewards Network (RSSN) - does not speak for the workforce.

Tom Ramplin, of RSSN, said: “These cuts will hurt a lot of people. We are told that they are necessary to get the country back on its feet and that we are all in this together, but we believe that this crisis was the result of deregulation of the markets and the endless chase for private profit.

“We therefore urge Reading residents to join us to demonstrate in defence of our public services from these cuts and privatisations. If we don’t it may be some time before we can retrieve them, because these type of cuts don’t tend to heal.”

Mr Ramplin described RSSN as “a collection of trade union militants” and said he had contacted union members at the Royal Berks ahead of the demonstration, scheduled to take place outside the hospital’s London Road entrance on Saturday, at 2pm.

But RBH chief operating officer Clive Walsh dismissed the planned protest and said: “The trust board and the local trade union are working together in a constructive and co-operative manner in order to review any proposals for reduction in staff numbers.

“Given the good working relationships at the hospital, neither party thinks that the interests of patients and staff members will be advanced by a demonstration.”

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• 

  Dr. Morgan
  Unregistered User
  Sep 14, 04:39
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  Tom Ramplin, of RSSN, said: “These cuts will hurt a lot of people. We are told that they are necessary to get the country back on its feet and that we are all in this together, but we believe that this crisis was the result of deregulation of the markets and the endless chase for private profit.
  
  What nonsense coming from a self-serving organisation with no mandate.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

• 

  Kathryn
  Unregistered User
  Sep 16, 18:38
  Report comment

  Good on the campaigners for bringing this up, the idea that 600 jobs will go from RBH is pretty worrying.
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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