John Swinney has been urged to step in and save 100 health jobs in Glasgow.

Unions have written to the First Minister over cuts to the Health and Social Care Partnership which they say threaten services including home care and health visiting.

Unison, Unite and Royal College of Nursing sent the plea to the First Minister outiling the scale of proposed cuts and which services are affected.

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They said the Scottish Government must act to reverse the cuts.

The three unions said more cuts to services and staff will lead to even more poor health in Glasgow.

Further cuts, they argue, will mean any efforts on early intervention to prevent poor health later in life are being abandoned.

In the letter they state: “These cuts are a reduction in direct patient care and jobs, at a time when public health experts tell us Glasgow’s population health is deteriorating in a way not seen since the 19th century.

“There are further proposals to abolish the Hospital at Home service and make additional cuts to Children’s Services.

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“How can patient safety and early intervention be paramount to the Scottish Government but this be allowed to happen?”

The services most affected include mental health support, health visiting, addiction teams, care home support and sexual health counselling. 

​The unions said the remaining staff will be asked to do more with less, badly affecting patient services.

​Lorcan Mullen, Unison regional organiser, said: “John Swinney must intervene to stop these job cuts.

“This will generate costs and strains elsewhere in the health and care system, and more suffering for patients and stress for NHS staff.

​“This is short-term balancing the books, rather than designing services to meet long-term needs of patients. The Scottish government are going back on promises to put early intervention and patient safety first.”

​James O’Connell, Unite regional organiser said: “These NHS and care cuts are not only abhorrent and unacceptable but also potentially dangerous to both patients and staff.”

​While Barbara Sweeney, Royal College of Nursing Scotland, senior officer, said: “While there is no doubt that budgets are tight, funding health and care services remains a political decision. Cuts and reductions in staffing levels now will make an already dangerous situation for people receiving care worse and have consequences for many years to come.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Governemnt, said: “This year, we are providing over £14.2 billion for NHS Boards to support health and care services – a real terms increase of almost 3%. Decisions on how best to deliver these services for local communities are ultimately for integration authorities to make in consultation with people who use services. 

"Despite our significant investment, NHS Boards face financial pressures, and we are working with all Boards to address the financial challenge this year and beyond to ensure services are sustainable for the future.”

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