LONDON (Reuters), May 8 - Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has survived a major government reshuffle, despite weeks of fierce criticism for her handling of the National Health Service (NHS).
But Hewitt, who had been under pressure over a funding row in the NHS, held on to her post which she has occupied since May 2005.
The reshuffle followed weeks of damaging headlines, among them news that some 7,000 jobs were to go from the NHS despite record investment by the government.
Last month, furious nurses gave Hewitt one of the most hostile receptions a minister in Blair's government has ever had to endure as she defended the government's management of the health service.
They heckled and booed her speech as she explained the reasons behind a raft of cuts to hospital jobs and services.
The tough reception from the Royal College of Nursing, one of the most moderate of Britain's labour organisations, which has never gone on strike, underlined the anger of many in the health service over controversial reforms to its finances.
The NHS has a workforce of some 1.3 million people overall -- 307,000 more than when Labour won power in 1997, making it the largest employer in Europe, with an annual budget of over 80 billion pounds.
Last Updated: 2006-05-05 15:23:41 -0400 (Reuters Health)
Related Reading
Nurses give Hewitt hostile reception over NHS cuts, April 27, 2006
Union threatens strike action over NHS job cuts, April 24, 2006
Blair predicts 'difficult year' for NHS, April 13, 2006
Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
