Neil Gray’s backroom deal with NHS unions ‘risks patient safety’

Patient safety has been put at risk by ministers striking a backroom deal with unions to cut the equivalent of 10,000 health service jobs by reducing the working week, NHS bosses have warned.

Briefings prepared by the chief executives of Scotland’s NHS boards reveal top management thrown into chaos after appearing to be blindsided by the new health secretary, Neil Gray.

Two weeks into the role, Gray, who replaced the scandal-hit Michael Matheson on 8 February met with unions without NHS staff present and signed off sweeping changes to working conditions, setting a deadline to implement them within five weeks.

The Scottish Conservatives have called the deal “deeply alarming”, while Labour accused the new health secretary of “standing idly by while chaos looms”.

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Source: The Times, 4 March 2024