Strike ultimatum at Manchester trust

Staff at one of the first care trusts will go ahead with a strike
ballot if managers fail to come up with a plan to end “intolerable”
conditions in the wards.

Bosses at Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust averted a
ballot last week by agreeing to postpone planned cuts of
£500,000 from older people and adult care services. In
September, the care trust received a highly critical official
inspection report.

Karen Reissmann, chairperson of the joint shop stewards committee
at the trust, said: “Even if they decide not to make any more cuts,
the situation leaves staff in an intolerable position. There are 30
to 40 acutely ill people at the moment waiting for a bed who are
being cared for in accident and emergency or at home. We have a 120
per cent occupancy rate and staff and patients have been assaulted
on the ward.”

She said mass meetings would resume in January if there was no plan
in place by then to deal with the high risk in adult
services.

The care trust was unavailable for comment.