Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS plans to axe 720 healthcare workers across three hospitals, out of a 4,500 workforce, in a bid to save £30 million.
This brings the number of NHS workers axed across the country to nearly 7,000 in the past three weeks.
The trust runs the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, and Kidderminster Hospital.
Announcing the cuts, Trust chairman Michael O’Riordan said: ‘It looks as if we have ended 2005/6 with an overspend of around £5.5m which is very disappointing.
‘But far more serious is a massive and unprecedented shortfall between what we expect to get paid in 2006/7 and what we know it would cost us to provide our services in the way we currently do.’
He added that job cuts are expected to save the trust about £8m this financial year and £16m in the next one, starting April 2007.
The trust has already frozen more than 100 posts, which will count towards the 720 jobs to go.
Meanwhile, in the north of the country, York Hospital is to axe 200 jobs in a bid to save £2.5m, as part of a plan to cut costs by £7m, which includes cutting down stock levels and cutting spending on training.
Recruitment limits have been imposed and compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out.
Managers blamed the decision partly on financial problems at the Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), which buys services from the hospital.
The PCT announced last month that jobs would have to go as part of a plan to reduce debts of £23.7m in 2005.
The hospital, which currently employs 4,000 people, also blamed the cuts on government ‘efficiency’ requirements.
York UNISON NHS branch secretary Edna Mulhearn said: ‘I am very angry about that and I lay this totally at the door of the financial situation at the Primary Care Trust.’
Earlier this week, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust announced plans to axe up to 250 jobs at Leighton Hospital at Northwich near Crewe, in the face of a looming £11m deficit.
The trust had said last month that it hoped to make savings by cutting back on agency staff and running a tighter ship.
A spokesman said last Wednesday: ‘The trust faces severe financial pressures over the next two years.
‘This is caused by a deficit of £1.7m which will in effect become a debt in 2006/7. In addition, in order to balance the trust accounts, a further £9.2m is required in 2006/7, making a total of almost £11m.’
The British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday expressed its concern.
A BMA spokesperson said: ‘Job cuts at NHS trusts are becoming a regular occurrence and the BMA is extremely worried about this.
‘It is further evidence that when trusts struggle financially, it is frontline staff and patients who suffer. You can’t cut staff and say that services won’t be affected.’
BMA member and consultant surgeon Anna Athow condemned the huge wave of NHS sackings.
She said: ‘These actions are a direct threat to patients’ lives. Action is needed to defend the NHS.
‘The health unions must respond immediately to halt these developments by organising industrial action and calling on the TUC to take strike action.’
