Emergency Services facing cutbacks
Recent months have seen many announcements of financial woes to impact on the United Kingdom's emergency services. Government spending cuts are bringing about drastic changes in personnel numbers and spending by service leaders and authorities.
It is estimated that 3,200 Police officers could be axed if the current stand of introducing compulsory retirement continues. This is in the wake of Police forces being told to save money on large scales. For example, Chief Constable of Kent, Ian Learmonth has expressed fears of rising crime should he be forced to go ahead with cuts of 20% or more.
Elsewhere in the services the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has plans to march on Westminster in the face of "savage" spending cuts. FBU general secretary, Matt Wrack, labelled the cuts "complete lunacy." He went on to say "Savage cuts are looming if the government persists in slashing budgets. The comprehensive spending review set out plans to cut the capital grant to local fire authorities by 25% over four years."
The NHS has not escaped fiscal slimming either. Frontline workers in the NHS are talking about closures of valuable services such as cardiac wards and the scaling down of Accident and Emergency units. It has been reported that one hospital in Gloucestershire, The Royal, is anticipating the closure of 43 beds.
The Government is making efforts to rebuild its balance sheet and these latest cuts are one of many cost cutting exercises but one, perhaps, that is fraught with dire consequences. Robust and effective emergency services will always be required and especially so in uncertain economic times.
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