STAFF at St Mary’s Hospital have voiced fears patient care could be compromised, if plans to cut working hours go ahead.
A proposal to save money by reducing shift hours for nurses and midwives is currently out to consultation, leading staff to claim they will lose valuable time with patients.
One healthcare worker, who did not wish to be named, said a planned reduction in daily working hours from seven-and-a-half to seven hours on mental health wards would mean handover time between shifts — when, among other things, complex cases were discussed and vital information was shared — would suffer.
"Shorter handovers would reduce teaching sessions from doctors, reduce training time for student nurses and reduce time for staff to escort patients to appointments, give out medication and attend to personal care," said the staff member.
NHS IW has this week moved to reassure patients, claiming the plans to standardise shifts reflected the trust’s responsibility to provide services in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.
"We recognise handovers between staff are important and these will continue to take place," said a trust spokesman.
"The proposal currently under discussion is to reduce the amount of time taken to do this without compromising patient care and ensuring the handover of complex patient information remains a key part of the process."
But one worker, who claimed the plans were nothing more than an attempt to cut corners, said: "Staff morale is low. Staff feel this is a continuation of blows delivered by management to save money without realising the consequences of their actions."