“Anger” was the word used by the chair of Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care Board (ICB) over the language used to describe “hard-working” staff following the government’s NHS proposals.
Manjeet Gill insisted that, in the face of challenging choices, difficult decisions need to be made with dignity and respect.
Earlier in March, the government announced its changes to NHS England to “reduce bureaucracy, make savings and empower NHS staff to deliver better care for patients”.
During last week’s BLMK ICB board meeting (21 March), Ms Gill spoke about the changes announced on 13 March.
“I got a WhatsApp message at 6:30 from a colleague about cuts to the NHS,” she said.
“But over the course of the day, [while] it was literally emerging, it felt rather like the pandemic, where hour by hour you were hearing different things.
“And it was only really the next day, if I’m being honest, that I was hit by more anger about the way hard-working people have been challenged as bloated. I just felt there was no need for that type of language,” she said.
“I’ve said that to Richard Meddings, the chair of NHSE [NHS England], that that’s something that wasn’t acceptable.
“Sometimes difficult decisions need to be made, but they need to be made with respect, dignity, and recognizing the hard work that people, committed people, have put into the services,” she said.
Ms Gill added that more clarity is needed on the proposals and updates will be shared as “time progresses”.
By John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
