Leicester hospitals staff to work longer hours in bid to tackle overspend
Some hospital employees have agreed to work longer hours for no extra pay to help their bosses balance the books.
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust boss Malcolm Lowe-Lauri warned a week ago that the city's three hospitals had overspent by £6 million in the past two months and that cash for wages could run out by September.
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Malcolm Lowe-Lauri
A series of emergency measures has been introduced to try to claw back cash.
Recruitment has been frozen and the taking on of all but essential agency staff banned.
Operations scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays are being moved to vacant weekday slots so staff do not have to be paid premium weekend rates.
Managers are also looking at how to cut the proportion of staff who are off sick at any one time – currently 3.5 per cent.
Mr Lowe-Lauri said: "Staff will get paid in September but only if we work together and sort this out.
"There has been a lot of noise and angst and some staff are angry but others have agreed to extend their working day without pay.
"I believe the measures we have put in place will work but it's going to be tough."
The cost-cutting comes on top of plans to save £38 million by the end of March to meet Government savings targets.
At a board meeting yesterday, trust finance director Andrew Seddon said: "At the moment, our spending is going the wrong way and we very quickly need to stop the cash haemorrhage.
"Cutting waste is crucial. We need to stop and turn around – but we are not going to do it in a reckless way."
Suzanne Hinchliffe, the trust's chief operating officer and chief nurse, told the meeting that patient care would not be compromised by the changes.
She said: "Clinical services need to be maintained and they need to be safe and sustainable.
"There will be daily reviews of what is happening in the hospitals."
Ms Hinchliffe assured staff at the meeting that wards would not be left with too few staff.
She said ways of paying overtime and using the members of the hospitals' staff bank – people who have signed up to work extra shifts – rather than agency staff would be investigated.
Speaking after the meeting, David Gorrod, a member of the Leicester Mercury Patients Panel, said: "The cutback on recruitment and decision to stop using locums and agency staff is likely to increase the workload on regular staff.
"There is a risk this will lead to a demotivated and demoralised staff, working with less enthusiasm, which could be to the detriment of patient safety."
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by johnboy313
Tuesday, June 28 2011, 12:05AM
“In regard to LikeItaLot teachers definitely do not work for nothing. They have work to mark or take home with them as in return they get the large summer, winter, easter etc breaks which they are entitled to for having to mark home work or prepare lessons. Luckily for teachers also they are in a profession whereby they constantly don't have to improve themselves through doing courses and linked assignments like many in the health care profession.”
by leicesterblue
Monday, June 27 2011, 5:02PM
“Will all the pen pushers take a dock?i dont think so”
by insideview
Monday, June 27 2011, 4:40PM
“Oh yes, and also i think that the previous Chief Executive and Chairman cared more about us and the Trust than the current two, who seem a bit superior.”
by insideview
Monday, June 27 2011, 4:39PM
“Yes I think many staff work far longer than their contract says and for no extra pay, that has always been the way of our hospitals, so it is not nice for Mr. Lowe-Lauri to tell us we are not doing enough. But this is not new, we are having to make very big savings every year, while actually treating more patients, but no one explains why, only that we must do more. One thing we have heard for quite a while is that the Leicester PCTs have had it in for UHL and pay us less that they would other hospitals. Don't know if its true or why, but perhaps the Mercury could find out.”
by coachman2
Monday, June 27 2011, 4:18PM
“Why don't Leicester NHS Trust bosses lead be example. And take a cut in there wage.”
by Djon925
Monday, June 27 2011, 2:43PM
“He was bought in as top notch trouble shooter HUH havent seen much value for money yet have we. But he like his predecessor will leave the place in a mess and walk away with a big fat golden handshake that was no doubt built in to his contract. When it comes to cutting costs and effiencency. he needs to look closer to home. On the top floor where I have seen first hand inability to do the simplist of tasks by so called senior managers. I have watch the NHS slide into its present mess having been "reformed" by successive governments. The simple fact is that these "trusts" have been allowed to get to big to be properly managed. The CEO and his top floor staff are so far removed from the day to day running of a hospital they have no hands on control.”
by Alleee
Monday, June 27 2011, 1:28PM
“Basically they need to start charging those wasting doctors and nurses time, like those who get wasted at the weekend and spend the night in a hospital bed. A £500 fee should sort that out and aid liquidity. Plus they need to stop using agency workers, who cost an enormous amount, and manage their staff more effectively.”
by LikeItaLot
Monday, June 27 2011, 2:10AM
“by Semazasez
Saturday, June 25 2011, 4:50PM
."Staff shouldn't have to work for free but hats off to them for going the extra mile in tough times. Shame teachers don't take a leaf out of their book."
Do you mean working more than contracted hours? The teachers do and always have done. This is not related to striking, it is about working over your hours. Health staff, including nurses have gone on strike and probably will so again
by Kop69
Sunday, June 26 2011, 3:24PM
."Bet its not the CEO working for nothing, Teachers take note,"
Teachers often worl for nothing, see above.”
by johnboy313
Sunday, June 26 2011, 7:43PM
“Martin le3 i have a lot more experiences a,long the same line, grow up”
by CGLee
Sunday, June 26 2011, 5:42PM
“I'll bet the CEO is not prepared to take a reduction in his grossly inflated salary.”