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NHS told to avoid 'slash and burn cuts' NHS told to avoid 'slash and burn cuts'
(about 6 hours later)
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC NewsBy Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News
NHS chiefs are at risk of making "slash and burn" cuts to services in a drive to save money, doctors' leaders say. NHS chiefs are at risk of making "slash and burn" cuts to services in a drive to save money, doctors say.
British Medical Association chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum said he was concerned about the impact across the whole UK. Medics attending the British Medical Association's annual conference voiced concerns the cuts were being rushed through too quickly and without care.
Reports have emerged of restrictions on a range of "low priority" treatments, while waiting times are under pressure. They highlighted staff shortages and restrictions being placed on so-called "low priority" treatments such as IVF.
The NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, agreed that any cost-saving measures must be well-thought through. The NHS Confederation, which represents health managers, said any cost-saving measures must be well-thought through.
Speaking ahead of the union's annual conference, which starts later, Dr Meldrum said there needed to be more transparency and debate about cuts. In his opening address to the union's conference in Cardiff, Dr Meldrum said the NHS was "in the grip of its greatest financial challenge".
Health budgets have been largely protected by ministers across the UK, although once inflation and the impact of factors like the ageing population and cost of new drugs are taken into account, significant savings are having to be made. "There is a huge difference between adapt and change and slash and burn, between carefully planned reorganisations and knee-jerk closures and redundancies, between partnership working among health professionals, managers and patients and imposed top-down, politically-motivated diktat."
Dr Meldrum said: "No-one is saying the NHS does not need to change. There are some difficult decisions that need to be taken. But we will only make sensible decisions if we have real debate."
However, he said some of the steps being taken at the moment smacked of "slash and burn" decisions.
RestrictionsRestrictions
He highlighted rises in waiting times - last week the BBC revealed that the number of areas breaching waiting time limits had doubled in the past year - and tighter rules being placed on access to so-called low priority treatments as signs of the difficult times ahead. Health budgets have been largely protected by ministers across the UK, although once inflation and the impact of factors like the ageing population and cost of new drugs are taken into account, significant savings are having to be made.
During the debates on Monday delegates voiced concerns about signs waiting times rising, staff shortages, cuts to services and tighter restrictions on a range of treatments.
In recent months, cases have been highlighted where local health managers have restricted access to everything from treatment for varicose veins and tonsillectomies to obesity surgery and IVF.In recent months, cases have been highlighted where local health managers have restricted access to everything from treatment for varicose veins and tonsillectomies to obesity surgery and IVF.
"I think too often people just see the top figures in the balance sheet and make rash judgements," Dr Meldrum added. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, a GP from north London, said most doctors would accept that the NHS cannot do everything but said restrictions needed to be done with "fairness and consistency" to avoid a postcode lottery.
The topic is set to be one of the main focuses of the Cardiff conference on Monday. Public health specialist Dr Lucy-Jane Davis pointed out that it was not just the direct cuts to the NHS that were harming the health and well-being of people.
Among the cases expected to be highlighted is the situation in one area of north west London where 84 medical procedures are now restricted. She said reductions in services such as Sure Start centres and less support for carers were having a profound effect too.
In another motion, doctors from north Wales are claiming frontline services in hospital are being squeezed by efforts to reduce job vacancies. "The scale and speed of cuts will hurt the most vulnerable," she added.
Psychiatrist Robin Arnold, from Bristol, said his patients had the "double whammy" of experiencing the fall-out of cuts to both NHS and local authority budgets.
He said one of the problems was that managers had started cutting too quickly by trying to make the bulk of the savings in a year, when they had been given five.
Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "NHS leaders must avoid such short-term tactics if they are to achieve effective change without compromising patient care.Mike Farrar, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: "NHS leaders must avoid such short-term tactics if they are to achieve effective change without compromising patient care.
"Reforming the system so that it is fit for the future will require some difficult decisions. It is essential that NHS leaders and clinical staff work together to draw up the best solutions.""Reforming the system so that it is fit for the future will require some difficult decisions. It is essential that NHS leaders and clinical staff work together to draw up the best solutions."
A spokesman for the Department of Health added: "We have been very clear that NHS organisations should not interpret efficiency savings as budget and service cuts.A spokesman for the Department of Health added: "We have been very clear that NHS organisations should not interpret efficiency savings as budget and service cuts.
"We have also said that every penny saved through efficiency savings will be reinvested back into front line services.""We have also said that every penny saved through efficiency savings will be reinvested back into front line services."
NHS chiefs are at risk of making "slash and burn" cuts to services in a drive to save money, doctors say.