| COMMUNITY NURSES JOBS SAVED IN WALTHAM FOREST |
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Up to 20 community nurse jobs in Waltham Forest , North East London have been saved as a result of ‘strong local campaigning against NHS cuts', the Amicus/Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association said. The board of the local primary care trust voted against management proposals to cut up to 20 health visitor and school nurse posts and said that the proposed changes would not be in the long term interests of patient/client care. It is understood that the trust will have another look at its budgets to make the required £1 million worth of savings by freezing posts and not using agency staff. Karen Reay, Lead Officer for Professional Policy and Practice, Amicus Health Sector hailed the climb down as ‘a victory for common sense and a tribute to a strong local campaign by staff, the trade unions, the media and the public.' Amicus/CPHVA Professional Officer for School Health and Public Health, Ros Godson said: ‘I am delighted that the trust has understood that grade mix and redundancies of 20 qualified nurses would have lead to significant changes to services delivered to the public.' ‘Health visitors are the professionals who are trained to assess all families with children and to act early to detect and prevent the causes of ill health.' ‘School nurses have a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with children and young people. Their skills in public health and health promotion are highly valued by schools and parents, and are acknowledged by government policies which seek to expand their role to achieve national targets. It is unreasonable that financial cuts should fall on services to the youngest members of our society.' |