Hospital workers banned from shopping for stationery in a determined bid to save lots of money

Drastic cost-cutting measures have been introduced at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, prohibiting staff from ordering writing equipment, clipboards and notebooks.

Hospital staff have been banned from buying new pens to save cash. Staff at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have been told not to order writing equipment, clipboards and notebooks.

Employees have also been told they must share stationary and reuse items as part of the economy drive.

The move has been made to help plug an £11million hole in its finances.

Prof Lesley Dwyer chief executive of the NHS trust, said she was sure people would “understand we have a duty to ensure we are using our resources responsibly”.

Peter Passingham, the Unison Eastern regional organiser, said: “Blocking staff buying pens highlights just how tight finances now are in the NHS.”

Non-essential furniture and off-site room hire have also been banned to save money.

The hospital said the cost-cutting measures, which came into force last month, would also see restrictions on recruitment.

In December, it said all vacancies would be judged on a case-by-case basis until the end of the financial year.

In a message the hospital said all “non-essential” stationery items such as pens, folders, clipboards, notebooks and calendars, were being removed from an order catalogue.

Prof Dwyer said: “We are currently off target with our financial plan and have taken difficult decisions to improve our financial position over the remaining months of the financial year.

“The decisions we have taken look to ensure that we are maximising the value from our spending whilst not impacting on the quality of care we are delivering.”

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