The Continuing Rape of the NHS

The UK National Health Service seems about to descend into freefall.

Through their complete incompetence in money management several NHS Trusts are losing millions. Job losses announced in England over the past five weeks amount to more than 6,000, and could go as high as 20,000. That means the laying off of a huge number of doctors and nurses.

The NHS Trusts are worried about money.
The unions are worried about job losses.
Who's worried about the patients?

Secretary of State for Health, Patricia Hewitt, insists that patient care will not be affected:

"Patients should be reassured by the determination of clinicians and management to maintain the best care for patients."

What a scenario: the health service stripped and a bloody flu epidemic in the wings.

Is there hope?

Commenting on the Worcestershire redundancies, the trust chairman, Michael O'Riordan, said:

"It's not in anyone's interests for us to stagger from one crisis to another. We will never be able to rid ourselves of the financial baggage. If there was an easy way out, we would have taken it by now. Hard times are ahead. People can fight against us, or they can fight with us and support us as we strive to secure the future of their hospitals."

What the fuck is that about?
Be honest: it's just more bullshit, isn't it?

If you would like to see how his Health Authority goes about its business, here's a report on their earlier money-saving methods.
(ie, the ones that got them into this mess)