Plans to cut a quarter of administrative roles at Cornwall hospitals risk patient safety

Commenting on proposals by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust to cut around a quarter of all administrative roles, UNISON Cornwall Acute Health branch secretary Stephen Timms said today (Tuesday):

“These plans are deeply worrying for both staff and patients. Cutting a quarter of all administrative roles could have serious consequences for patient safety and care.

“The trust’s own risk assessment acknowledges referrals could be missed and that follow-up care may suffer. Services are already under huge strain. This proposal feels rushed and short-sighted.

“Healthcare in Cornwall faces unique pressures, with an ageing local population, intense winter demand and a surge in visitors over the summer. Cornwall’s health system needs additional investment, not fewer staff.

“The trust says it will try to redeploy affected workers, but with a recruitment freeze in place and no vacancies across local NHS or council services, it’s hard to see how that’s possible. Staff are anxious about their futures, and rightly so.

“UNISON will continue to challenge these plans and call for a rethink. The trust must work with unions to find a safer, fairer way forward that protects jobs and maintains the quality of care patients deserve.”