I have just been issued with an e-mail from the clinical director asking all consultants to write down how each of us has made savings for the Trust. Then within a week, some manager came to the consultant meeting and repeated the request, suggesting that the exercise will allow the trust to know how we have been making savings for the Trust, so that the money can be reinvested into the appropriate department for development.
Can’t help but feel skeptical. There have been numerous occasions where donations (from my patients) earmarked for my department, or sponsorship from drug company have disappeared into a black-hole somewhere in the Trust never to be seen again. Do I really think they will reinvest the money into the department?
Furthermore I find it really ridiculous that clinicians (who are supposed to be concerned about patient care) have been asked to do jobs (providing evidence for financial savings) which managers are meant to be doing. After we have done it for them, they simply take it up, write it in their CV and end of year performance report as an evidence for a bonus. Yes, and they have the guts to ask busy clinicians to do it for them!!
I could think of a few things I did which may have created increased efficiency and savings over the last year, but not sure if I would bother to write them a report!
