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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Debt-hit NHS removes light bulbs | Debt-hit NHS removes light bulbs |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| About 40 light bulbs have been taken down in hospital corridors to help a debt-ridden NHS trust save money. | About 40 light bulbs have been taken down in hospital corridors to help a debt-ridden NHS trust save money. |
| Epsom and St Helier NHS, which needs to save £24m over 18 months, said it would only know how much cash it would save when it got its next electric bill. | Epsom and St Helier NHS, which needs to save £24m over 18 months, said it would only know how much cash it would save when it got its next electric bill. |
| It said some bulbs had been removed from corridors and communal areas and no clinical areas were affected. The trust's annual electric bill is £3m. | It said some bulbs had been removed from corridors and communal areas and no clinical areas were affected. The trust's annual electric bill is £3m. |
| Tom Brake MP said the "crazy" move would be funny were it not so serious. | Tom Brake MP said the "crazy" move would be funny were it not so serious. |
| Patients will be left scratching their heads in the dark Tom Brake MP | |
| He said: "If our hospitals are scrimping money on light bulbs, how can they afford the latest drugs and high quality patient care?" | He said: "If our hospitals are scrimping money on light bulbs, how can they afford the latest drugs and high quality patient care?" |
| The Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington said: "Patients will be left scratching their heads in the dark about this bonkers idea." | The Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington said: "Patients will be left scratching their heads in the dark about this bonkers idea." |
| A trust statement said: "We can confirm maintenance staff have removed some light bulbs from the main corridors and some communal areas in the trust, as part of our financial recovery plan." | A trust statement said: "We can confirm maintenance staff have removed some light bulbs from the main corridors and some communal areas in the trust, as part of our financial recovery plan." |
| Energy efficiency bid | Energy efficiency bid |
| It said it was "imperative" for the trust to cut its electric bill after "significant price hikes" in the past year. | It said it was "imperative" for the trust to cut its electric bill after "significant price hikes" in the past year. |
| It added that it had been given funding by the strategic health authority to explore lighting and heating controls, so energy efficiency could be improved. | It added that it had been given funding by the strategic health authority to explore lighting and heating controls, so energy efficiency could be improved. |
| The trust is also bidding for further funds to explore energy efficiency measures. | The trust is also bidding for further funds to explore energy efficiency measures. |
| The trust run two hospitals, Epsom General Hospital in Epsom, and St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, south London. It provides community services across south west London and Surrey. | The trust run two hospitals, Epsom General Hospital in Epsom, and St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, south London. It provides community services across south west London and Surrey. |