Are There Too Many Clerical Workers In The Nhs?

[gordiescotland1]

The NHS are always going on about trying to save money but I am astonished at the amount of clerical staff employed. I went to a physio clinic last week and there was 1 receptionist and 3 others behind the desk that appeared to be standing around chatting. Could the NHS not save money by cutting the clerical posts. Most of these seem to be part time workers the majority of them women I got a FOI request from my local health board and I asked what the proportion of clerical jobs went to women and men at band 2 the result was pretty eyeopening 92% female 8% male. How much money could be saved each year if a lot of part time posts were cut

[ummmm]

I think it depends on the department. I was in hospital on Monday and there was just one receptionist. There was about 8 nurses on the ward and when I went in for my procedure there were 6 people in the room with me.

All of them were fantastic.

[anneasquith]

There are many parts of the nhs that would benefit from restructuring, I'd imagine clerical workers included. .

[baza]

They need a lot of clerical staff to lose your notes.

[ToraToraTora]

yes they could save huge amounts by be more efficient administratively. They should also close down all the staff rackets.

[Baldric]

Gordie, would it be fair to say you receive quite a lot of support/treatment from the NHS? if that is the case I can't help but ask why you keep 'having a go' at them.

[jazzyjen]

and turn down the heating thermostats by a couple of degrees.

[rowanwitch]

Many of the clerical staff are not directly involved with patients but are vital to a hospital. Finance teams manage payment for drugs and pay the rest of the staff. Claim back the cost of treating non nhs entitled patients, Estates staff organise repairs and maintenance, a lot of staff are employed to monitor compliance with government targets and work in the background resolving problems and coordinating appointments, reminding teams when target breaches could happen, secretaries, legal teams, stores teams, catering clerks send out menus and work with kitchen staff, then medical records, support for chaplaincy.etc etc.... a lot of these staff are paid on band 2 Or 3. Less than comparable jobs in the private sector.
Take them away and most of the coal face services couldn't function. Imagine a ward with no medical supplies, and when no one was recruiting and paying the nurses doctors and therapists. Where no one was sending a chap to unblock the toilet during an outbreak of diarrhoea.... just saying....

[Prudie]

A great post Rowan and it can be extended to a lot of other civil service/public sector organisations, probably private business as well. The clerical staff are usually the absolutely indespensable structure supporting what's above them.

[Zacs-Master]

The OP doesn’t seem to be based on any facts or figures (unless you count what I see as the irrelevance of the gender make up).
Where did your suggestion come from Geordie?

[EDDIE51]

Good post from rowan. If by 'clerical staff ' you also include maintenance, transport,cleaning , catering then I would think the clerical staff outnumber medical staff by at least 5 to 1 . Does anyone have any figures?

[bednobs]

clerical workers in most businesses tend to be women
I have one NHS recruiting and you dont even get to see the sex of the people when you are sifting application forms.
Who do you think answered your FOI Gordie? An NHS clerical worker! Woulnt nee them of people odnt put imbecilic FOI requests in