Mike Penning shocked at NHS email telling doctors and nurses to save £2.50 a day.

Mike Penning reacted with shock to the content of an email from West Herts NHS boss, David Law, telling doctors and nurses to save £2.50 per day.

The email sent to staff at West Herts NHS Trust lists examples of where staff can make these savings which included ‘carry out fewer blood tests per day’, ‘reduce the number of sterile-dressings used’ and ‘use cheaper brands of medicines or persuade patients to use their own household drugs’.

Mike said:

“Asking clinicians to cut down on the number of blood tests and diagnostic tests must have, and will have, an effect on my constituents’ treatments in the NHS.

“It is morally and ethically wrong to put this sort of pressure on doctors and nurses. It cannot be right that doctors and nurses need to think about budgets in their day to day work in the NHS.”

Commenting on other suggestions in the email such as ‘switch off the lights’ and ‘turn off radiators rather than open a window’, Mike said:

“Some of the other savings suggested in the email are so obvious I would have expected most managers in any organisation to be implementing them as a matter of course.”