Nurses Call On Government To Take Action On The Health Implications Of Unemployment

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 13 Jan 2009 - 4:00 PST

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The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called on the government to ensure that health services are not swamped by the effects of rising unemployment, as Prime Minister Gordon Brown meets business leaders and trade unions for an employment summit today.

Dr Peter Carter, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, said:

"We know that periods of economic downturn often feature rises in health problems, particularly among those affected by long term unemployment. In many cases losing your job can be the tipping point which leads to isolation, family breakdown and mental health problems, and things can get much worse when people are out of work for more than six months.

"This, combined with the impact on general health from hardship and the struggle to make ends meet, can combine to put real pressure on the NHS. We welcome the Prime Minister's moves to keep people in work, and proposals to get people back to work as soon as possible.

"We would now urge the government to make sure that these measures can make an impact quickly, so that health services are not stretched further by the avoidable effects of unemployment on individuals and families. This is particularly important in areas which are already blighted by health inequalities, where any further job losses would be most keenly felt."

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.

Royal College of Nursing