PATIENTS MUST NOT LOSE OUT BECAUSE OF JOB CUTS: MULHOLLAND

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 28th Jul 2005

Following Greg Mulholland's tabling of an urgent question in Parliament, calling upon the Health Minister to ensure that the quality of health care will not change as a consequence of the proposed job cuts at Leeds Hospitals, the Minister has yet to answer.

Greg tabled urgent parliamentary questions on 15 July only to receive a holding reply on 20 July stating that it will be answered "as soon as possible", despite the fact Parliamentary procedure expects a full answer to be provided by this date!

Reports claim that the workforce of hospital staff in Leeds is set to be reduced by up to 600 posts. Although there will be no redundancies due to posts being lost through the non-replacement of some leavers and the redeployment of others, cuts in the numbers of doctors and nurses cannot be ruled out.

Commenting, Greg said:

"These reports are deeply concerning for many of my constituents, worried that job losses will have a detrimental effect on health care provision.

"The consultants and staff of the hospitals carry out their duties magnificently, often in difficult circumstances and deserve the proper resources to continue that work.

Commenting on the lack of a full response from the Government, Greg said:

"The lack of a full response is immensely frustrating at this critical time.

"I sincerely hope to receive a positive response from the Minister very soon, so both patients and health care professionals can be assured a secure future."