Institute of Directors joins Tax Payers' Alliance call for 10pc job cuts
A 10 per cent cut in non-frontline NHS staff is one of 34 measures mooted by the Institute of Directors and the Tax Payers’ Alliance to cut the public debt by £50 billion.
The two groups have called for the reduction or removal of “unproductive” items of government expenditure in a bid to combat the UK’s debt crisis.
Other measures designed to address the “dire state” of public finances include a freeze on the state pension, abolition of the identity card scheme and a 10 per cent reduction in the size of the civil service.
Institute of Directors director general Miles Templeman said: “Any cut in spending naturally has the potential for some pain, but our list shows that large sums can be saved without hurting vital services.
“We hope this will start a serious public debate about the best ways money can be saved and whether the state needs to withdraw from certain activities it can no longer afford.”
Other targets for spending rethinks include restricting free bus passes for the elderly and disabled to those who genuinely need them, the abolition of child benefit and the child trust fund while increasing child tax credit, and the abolition of free TV licences.
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Readers' comments (5)
Anonymous | 11-Sep-2009 3:07 pm
So the IoD, living in a glass house, has started to chuck stones.
Clearly there is no self interest (or small mindedness) here. If govt. withdraws provision, who then re-provides - let us guess? Who profits?
Having said that, there is a good case for private sector involvement in healthcare/the NHS and profit should not be treated as a dirty word in this context. However, I fear that the current intervention is not motivated by creating good and efficient public services, but rather by the sniff of a commercial opportunity.
As for the Taxpayers Alliance, no comment!
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Mike Swift | 11-Sep-2009 3:53 pm
I am reminded of the parable of the arthritc millipede & the wise old owl. The former suffered severe pain during the damp cold winters & a friend recommeded that he seek advice from the owl. Simple said the owl, turn yourself into a doormouse & you'll sleep all winter - problem solved. Brilliant said the millipede, how do I do that? Don't ask me said the owl I'm a consultant not a manager!
In short I would have more respect for these armchair experts with dubious arithmatic & 20/20 hindsight, if they agreed to take over an NHS Trust & show us mere mortals how its done.
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Anonymous | 11-Sep-2009 5:17 pm
Has any one commenting on the Mckinsey suggested cost cutting looked at the health service in a detached manner? Probably not. Have they spoken to a wide variety of frontline and back office staff? Probably not. Have they looked at the quick wins and the low hanging fruit? Probably not.
Has any one looked at the most expensive resource within the NHS that could be made to work more efficiently and effectively? Have you not guessed yet? It is the medical workforce. 30,000 consultants at an average cost of £100k per person. And ofcourse what about the GPs? Are they really good value for money? If all they are going to do is prevent referrals, why not appoint a senior nurse? A nurse will cost at least 50% less and will probably examine the patient, talk to her and even draw blood for tests! Is a 10% reduction possible? I am not suggesting a reduction in the workforce, however, have we examined if those who get paid the money actually put in the effort comensurate with the remuneration? If one looks at the diaries of some of the doctors one will be amazed! Many of them claim to work 60 hour weeks, week on week since the times of Adam & Eve (ok I admit I have exaggerated the timescale). On top of that they find time for private practice and other commitments. Has any one tried working those hours continuously? What is the effect on the brain? It turns into mush after a few weeks. Do we want our doctors to be zombies? Certainly not! So what is the solution? If something appears to be too good to be true, it is probably not. All the doctors claiming to be working 60 hrs a week in the interest of patient care is a myth!
What some one in the DH, and in the Trusts needs to take the bull by the horn. It is time we called a spade a spade. Re examine the consultant and GP contracts (nothing should be sacrosanct in an age of austerity). If found necessary, take away the extra payments. If need be hire qualified doctors at non-consultant grades (after all they will provide all the service and cost atleast 30% less on an average). Certainly it is worth cutting the excessive wages of the non performers. And do not believe in the propaganda that there will be a huge exodus of doctors to the USA or down under or to the middle east! Just do it!
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Anonymous | 15-Sep-2009 9:51 am
Keep the doctors - of all grades.
Keep the nurses - of all grades
In fact keep all clinicians.
Get rid of the cash guzzling, failure that is the NHS IT project. This has delivered little of benefit to the NHS as a whole. What it has delivered is limited and we still can't share any information (if we are able to record it).
The contracts are supposed to be so tight that if nothing is delivered (which little has) then the LSPs do not get paid.
Take this money back and the savings are made.
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Anonymous | 16-Sep-2009 9:49 am
The Institute of Directors, eh?
There was an interesting report in yesterday's Guardian about pay rises and perks for senior executives, which are still rising at over 10% p.a., even though share prices have fallen by over a third, the public purse hasa bailed out the financial sector to the tune of billions upon billions.
Do we hear a peep from the IoD about these things? Any hint of contrition for their clear role in the current financial mess? Any suggestion how the financial sector are going to make reparations to the rest of us?
No, thought not!
IoD: the second word is "off!"
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