Cuts 'may hamper care plan'

PLANS to improve patient care could be compromised by budget cuts, an Edinburgh nurses union has said.

The Scottish Government recently announced its Quality Strategy, with nurses spending more time with patients.

The drive has been welcomed by the Royal College of Nursing in the city, but director Theresa Fyffe warned that major public spending cuts could put the brakes on some ambitions.

She said: "What concerns us is how, at a time when health boards are already struggling to balance their books, the Scottish Government can ensure that this radical new approach is adopted by health boards and successfully rolled out to staff."