Cornwall’s NHS needs funding boost, after critical report on trust, says Unite

9 Oct 2017 09:04 AM

The NHS in Cornwall needs a cash injection of £100m to restore health services in the county, following a damning report on the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust.

The call comes from Unite, the union, which says the money is needed to wipe out the trust’s £72 million deficit and a further £30 million to restore services for Cornwall’s 550,000-strong population.

Unite, which has 100,000 members in the health service, said such a cash injection could be used to re-open the temporarily closed community hospitals at Fowey, Saltash and St Ives, and recruit for the estimated 300 vacancies at the trust which currently can’t be filled because of budget cuts. 

Unite regional officer Stuart Roden said: “The case for a massive financial injection for the NHS in Cornwall is unanswerable, given the scathing indictment of the trust from the Care Quality Commission (CQC). (CQC recommends Royal Cornwall Hospitals should go into special measures)

Our members, who work in the NHS, have continued to do a great job in the most difficult of circumstances and the CQC recognises their enormous contribution.”

It is reported that NHS Improvement has placed Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust in special measures after the CQC inspection which said patients suffered harm as a result of waiting too long for care.

Unite has several hundred members at the trust.

Notes to editors:

For more information please contact Unite senior communications officer Shaun Noble on 020 3371 2060 or 07768 693940. Unite press office is on:  020 3371 2065

Email: shaun.noble@unitetheunion.org