Harris raises Oxford health crisis in Parliament

1.28.27pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th May 2006

The John Radcliffe Hospital will be hit hard by the cuts

As 600 job losses from the Oxford Radcliffe Trust were announced today, local MP, Dr Evan Harris, took the first opportunity to raise the matter in Parliament as he demanded that the Health Secretary "return to Planet Earth" to explain her claim that jobs cuts were a sign of success and efficiency and that this is the "best year the NHS has yet had".

In business questions to the Leader of the House, Jack Straw, Dr Harris questioned whether the Health Secretary was occupying a parallel universe as debt-ridden hospitals were forced to take desperate measures under NHS reforms, cutting huge numbers of jobs with inevitably massive impacts on patient care.

"The Health Secretary must come to the dispatch box and explain to Parliament how huge job cuts like this can possibly be seen as a sign of a strong and efficient health service."

The Government attempted to justify that many of the job cuts can be made by closing unfilled vacancies

"The tragedy is that Oxfordshire has spent years struggling to fill vacancies and is now having to close posts. Frontline doctors and nurses are losing their jobs and are not being replaced.

"This is a bleak day for the sick and elderly of Oxford, the day of reckoning for the Government must surely follow."

Today, Thursday 25th May 2006, following rumours of job cuts, the Oxford Radcliffe Trust has announced proposals to deliver £33 million savings over the coming financial year which includes plans for 600 job losses, half of these to be compulsory, and the loss of 120 beds.

The Oxford Radcliffe Trust announcement is available from this link: http://www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk/news/newsrecords/performance%20and%20cost.aspx