'I think it's a risk' - Andy Burnham slams government NHS reforms for widespread redundancies
Andy Burnham believes the government’s NHS reforms ‘risk’ jeopardising his major mayoral policy with widespread redundancies.
The mayor launched his ‘Live Well’ in his election campaign last year as one his three major policies, which will combine key support services so residents can access more holistic support. His vision was to rename Job Centres ‘Live Well Centres’, and they would have staff able to give advice on topics like employment, housing, and budgeting, and even host GPs and dentists.
To make that happen, he called on the government to hand him control of Greater Manchester’s multi-billion-pound employment support budget so voluntary organisations, faith groups, and charities helping Mancs that have fallen on hard times can visit a one-stop-shop of assistance, rather than bouncing between various organisations.
While the government is yet to give Mr Burnham the full sum, it has handed the mayor £10m to use a Live Well ‘national prevention demonstrator’, showing other areas how health and social problems can be prevented by stepping in earlier with a greater variety of services.
But a big ‘10-year’ shake-up of the NHS, announced by health secretary Wes Streeting in July and backed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, includes scrapping NHS England and cutting staff at integrated care boards (ICBs).
That includes redundancies for Live Well staff in Trafford next April, Coun Shaun Ennis said in a mayoral meeting on Wednesday (September 24). And the move ‘risks’ Live Well’s future, according to the mayor.
Lib Dem councillor Ennis asked the Labour mayor if Live Well is ‘being cut off at the knees by the Prime Minister’s NHS England reforms?’ “I do consider the NHS reforms to be a risk to live well if we do not end up with something that is right for us,” Mr Burnham replied.
“Hence we are in discussion at the moment with the integrated care board (ICB), particularly around whether there is something that can be done to not lose staff crucial to the delivery of this mission.”
Combined Authority chief executive Caroline Simpson confirmed ‘39pc’ of NHS jobs in Greater Manchester’s ICB are earmarked for redundancy, but the process is ‘on pause’ as ‘money for the redundancies process has not been found’. She added health chiefs are using the delay ‘to think about a model… that allows us to build on Live Well’.