LONDON, April 24 (UPI) -- Britain's largest labor union says it will support staff who plan to take action against massive job cuts in the National Health Service.
Some 7,000 job cuts have already been announced and thousands more people may lose their jobs as the NHS struggles with a $600 million deficit, the BBC reported.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis says NHS' financial problems are being fueled by government "quicksand policies" that are tearing the NHS in every direction.
"Unison cannot stand by and watch staff suffer in this climate of fear. We will be supporting members who feel that they have no option left other than industrial action to protect jobs and services," he said.
Nursing leaders say patients are being put at risk by the cuts as hospitals try to reduce services that have less demanding government targets.
The Times of London says new figures show that more than 13,000 job losses have been announced by hospitals and health trusts over the past six months. At least one third of the lost jobs are expected to be nurses.
