Can we be sensible about the 137,000 NHS jobs report?
A big story is breaking right now. Paul Waugh has the initial details. Apparently the government has commissioned "blue skies" reports on how to cut costs and one on the NHS from McKinsey and Co has leaked.
Already there are accusations flying around and the government seems to be trying to spin that the report's author worked as an adviser for the Tories. Conservative HQ is denying it. Guido has done one of his +++++++++++++++++ blog posts on the story and has indicated there will be more later.
Now I don't know what is going to come out about this but it has all the makings of a one of these febrile political situations that is going to get blown up out of all proportion with both Labour and the Tories terrified of being associated with "MASSIVE NHS SPENDING CUTS".
Can I just make a plea for everyone to be sensible? Surely we want the government to commission reports like this to see what can be achieved? It doesn't necessarily mean all those jobs will go but we have to start identifying where public spending can be cut. It has to happen otherwise we will be in dire economic straits in the near future.
I await the details with interest but I expect I will be grateful that they are trying to be sensible about budget planning for the future even if I am still irked at Gordon Brown for trying to pretend spending reductions are unneccessary. I hope he will not be trying that one on any more.
I would be more worried if the government just buried its head in the sand and did absolutely nothing.
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It all depends where those 137,000 jobs will be lost. If they are all superfluous admin and bureaucrat positions then it would be a very good thing to save the money out of the budget (or redirect it to medical staff).
Yeah, I posted on this too, here.
Basically, Labour have painted themselves into a corner.
After weeks pushing that ludicrous #weLovetheNHS nonsense (a blatant piece of political opportunism and a cynical attempt to claim that the NHS was loved only by Labour, and safe only with Labour) Labour have been publicly presented with evidence that the NHS desperately needs cutting.
They're now stuck: damned if they try to ignore the report, damned if they u-turn aND implement the cuts.
What now, Gordon? Hide again?
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