19 May 2006
The Department of Health has insisted that the quality of NHS Direct's services will not suffer as a result of plans to axe 400 posts and close 12 call centres.
The pioneering telephone advice line, which was set up in 1997, said financial pressures, new services and the need to maintain affordability had forced it into the restructure.
NHS Direct said its plans could lead to 573 redundancies, while natural wastage would account for a further 216 posts. However, it would take on 376 new staff in a mixture of new posts and jobs moved to new locations.
The 12 call centres will close over the next 18 months and include those at Brighton, Kensington, Doncaster and Preston. The future of a further 19 centres will be reviewed, though 18 centres will be expanded to offer new services and pick up the slack from those due to close.
NHS Direct chair David Edmonds said it had balanced its books over the past two years. 'To achieve this in 2006/07 and beyond, and to remain affordable for our commissioners and match the profile of demand which we now anticipate, we need to take steps to improve the efficiency of how we run our service,' he added.
However, Unison head of health Karen Jennings said the cuts were short-sighted. 'Cutting the service will put immediate pressure on GP surgeries and A&E departments.'
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