Allister Craddock The Politics Show East Midlands

If hospital beds go, corridors may be the only option

The East Midlands Politics Show investigates the growing crisis at the Queens Medical Centre and the City Hospital in Nottingham.

The regional director of the Royal College of Nursing, Helen Willetts, tells us that she now fears 443 nurses' jobs could be at risk. And she talks about some of the wards where she understands beds could go.

Nottingham South Labour MP, Alan Simpson, says he shares the anger of health unions. And he insists the growing crisis is "senseless".

Alan Simpson is throwing his weight behind the growing concern

It's believed the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust was heading for a �60 million pound overspend next spring.

Rally of support

And even after axing possibly as many as 1,200 posts, the trust would still be in the red to the tune of around �15m.

The chief executive of the trust, Peter Homa, tells the Politics Show that they will do all they can to make sure that patient care doesn't suffer.

But Unison Officer, Andy Belfield, who is organising a protest rally in Nottingham this weekend, says the crisis is a dire warning to the Labour Government that it can not count on the same support, next time voters go to the polls.

He will be telling our presenter, Marie Ashby, that he believes the Government has left the trust in an impossible position.

Defections

Simon Hughes' pleasure may be short lived

Remember the story that hit the national headlines about defections from Labour to the Liberal Democrats in Derby?

There was talk of about 36 resignations as a result of the Government's stance during the fighting in Lebanon.

The Lib Dems have been making political hay ever since.

Indeed their president, Simon Hughes, celebrated the defections in a speech at their latest national.

But our political editor, John Hess, has been investigating Labour claims that many of the "Derby 36" were not full members of the party.

In fact, they say, only a fraction of them were fully accredited Labour members.

But the leader of the defectors, Ravel Peeno, says he stands by his claims. And he says he has got the membership cards to prove it.

Also on the East Midlands Politics Show...

As they arrive in Manchester for their party's national conference, when do our regional Labour MPs believe Tony Blair should go?

Join the Politics Show team on Sunday 24 September 2006 at 12:00 BST on BBC One.

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