Redunancys to Frontline Podiatry staff in NHS

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Dear all

It was only a matter of time before it happened but I heard today of the first 'potential' compulsory redundancys in NHS Podiatry staff in the UK!

Any one else hearing of similar things afoot?

Phi;l

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

I'd be stunned if there were compulsary redundancies in the NHS. It costs too much and its too much like hard work

I suspect it will be a continuation of what we've have for years, vacancies frozen and removed and steady downscaling and reduction of services. Given the rate of turnover in NHS staff this is a pretty safe and swift way to cut staffing without all the hoo ha and the adverse media attention.

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

Robert,

they will simply report staff that they want to get rid of to the HPC for petty little things, that's how they will get rid of staff!

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

That would work, certainly!

But I think you're confusing the folk who would do the cuts with evil geniuses. As opposed to evil buffoons, benign buffoons or benign geniuses. I've met very few evil genius' in the NHS. The private sector pays much better for people with that skill set. People in the NHS tend to fit into the middle to catagories, myself included, although I've known a few in the last catagory.

People in the NHS, managers especially, will always tend to take the path of least resistance. There's no NEED for redundances OR competancy complaints when natural wastage will do the job for a fraction of the effort and expense.

I had a look at the HPC website the other day. Of the pods who've been struck off, only 1 actually turned up to the hearing. Everyone who actually showed got no worse than a caution. The one who turned up and DID get stuck off is the infamous Ali Foster. And in fairness, she stabbed somebody 17 times with a big knife.

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

Robert

The trust in questions has already gone through the recruitment/hours freeze etc.
They are stating that the 3 month consultation process has now started to ascertain the best way of imposing compulsory redundancies - 10% of current staffing levels have to go!

Watch this space!

Phil

 

Interesting thread. Our Dentists were all made redundant recently. The ESP Physio Service lost the bid and a company called Care UK are taking over very soon.
The Physiotherapists still do not know their fate.
The same company is starting to run, so called triage clinics. These include Podiatry. The clinics are being run at a number of our NHS clinics, in the clinic rooms we use and are actually blocking the rooms. There has been no tender for Podiatry.
What is going on!

 

Any contractor taking over will have one primary objective.

Profitability.

So if the NHS thinks it will get a better deal from a contractor than from their own staff is naive.

Will the contractor be able to recruit and retain the high quality of staff that the NHS currently employs.

I find it funny that the NHS went through agenda for change to improve the career structure in order to recruit and retain highly skilled and motivated staff. To now award a contract to a contractor who may not wish or even be Able to offer the same terms and conditions of service enjoyed by NHS staff.

It was always generally agreed that you worked in NHS not for the money primarily but also for a sense of well being achieved in helping people who have a clinical need.

So money was not the primary motivator.

Will a contractor result in staff only being interested in money first and everything else second.

Ceratinly that would be the ethos of the contractor.

This should be fun.

Now lets say a super contractor has a significant part of the contracts you then have a monopoly status and prices for the contractor will rise siginificantly as the monopoly contractor seeks to maximise earnings.

So it may turn out that employing your own staff will work out the better deal in the long run for the NHS.

David:deadhorse:

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

Dream world.

If the budget pressure is a nationwide there will be national vacancy freezing = no staff turnover = no savings.

I think the scale of the budget deficit will demand far more radical restructuring. Primary Care organisations will go but rather than new NHS quangos being created to replace them this time care providing services will go out to tender. Terms and conditions will be renegotiated and staff numbers may have to change.

At the very least.

 

It is always heartbreaking to hear that your job, which seemed to be inflation proof, Redunancy proof, and in fact a job for life. Unfortunately this has been on the cards for many years.

There are jobs out there, any one interested in:

JOB OPPORTUNITY IN MANITOBA CANADA.

There is a position available for a Podiatrists in Manitoba. Nail Surgery, Orthotics, Rural clinics therefore must be a car driver. Opportunity for partnership is offered for the right applicant.

For further information please Email: drbellmont@mymts.net

 

As far as the UK is concerned I agree with Lawrence. In fact several services have already been identified as potential 'targets'. I.E. Loss of Preferred Provider Status. Tendering exercises to follow. The whole ridiculous problem was created by an artificial political demand that cost = price several years ago. Take your budget; divide it by the number of patients that you see, thats your cost per case. Same principle for the treament numbers.
Middle managers (excluding Pod Serv Managers) have sought to climb the greasy pole (and yes the view does get uglier) and offered efficiency savings above what was required, opened doors to unlimited numbers of patients, negotiated away our primary status as diagnosticians and often failed to support discharge policies.
The truth is that Podiatry doesn't cost much, but like a lot of health care, try living without it. Where are the political allegiances we need now? What plans have been made to configure the private sector with what NHS service remains? Wither biomechanics and who will fund it?

With the abolition of Korner statistics (KT24) podiatry has no substantial national correlation figures from which to make a case for standard population to activity ratios. We were, in fact, all warned. Perhaps a wake-up call now wouldn't be too late?

One other point. The savings required will be substantially made by the removal of employment 'on-costs'. If higher qualified, better trained staff provide a better societal return, there is room for negotiation of standards... but not on pension rights, CPD costs, research work etc. That is except for those remaining (within the NHS) to treat High Risk or other identified groups. Senior managers are confronted with these saving potentials. Not to do so may cost them their posts to fund the shortfall in public spending.

 

Re: Redunancys to Frontline Chiropody staff

This is already very much the case.

Just look at the NHS jobs site. There are only 4 posts in the whole of the UK and one of those is a specialist one. The others are temp contracts too.

Nobody is moving/leaving as there's nowhere to go!

Worrying really.

 

In short: Amen Brother - You speak much truth!:drinks