Prime minister tells troubled trusts to “hold their nerve”

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7547.927

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Michael Day

London

Tony Blair has intervened personally in the financial and political storm over NHS debts and job losses. He summoned the chief executives of 16 of the most debt ridden hospital and primary care trusts to Downing Street to discuss the progress of “turnaround teams,” the financial and management specialists despatched to help the trusts balance their books.

The meeting on Wednesday last week came just hours after the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust announced that it would axe up to 500 jobs to tackle its deficit of £28.6m (€41.3m; $50.3m).

In …