Type
Internal restructuring
Country
United Kingdom
Region
North West; Cheshire; Cheshire CC
Location of affected unit(s)
Warrington
Sector
Health / Social Work
Human Health Services And Activities
Human Health Activities
86.1 - Hospital activities

104 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
8 March 2007
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date

Description

More than 100 jobs are to go at Warrington Hospital as part of a cost cutting initiative. North Cheshire Hospitals Trust says the new scheme focuses on improving efficiency, which will mean fewer beds and theatre sessions will be needed.

Jason Hunter, of Unison, said: 'We will be challenging the decision as to how the management can justify the loss of so many posts.'

But bosses said they would try to avoid redundancies by moving staff to fill vacant posts that have been held open. The trust has already cut more than 100 beds by transferring acute medical wards from Halton to Warrington - but management maintains services have improved as a result. Two theatres will also close at Warrington - but 15 staff affected will be redeployed to other area. Catherine Beardshaw, Chief Executive of North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 'I have been very open about the financial challenge the trust faces.'

'We need to save 18.4 million GBP by March next year and we are making good progress towards this.'

The trust estimates the cuts will save a further 3 million GBP towards the target.

Mr Hunter (Unison) said: 'Cutting so many jobs would place remaining staff under too much pressure.'

'My understanding of the trust's reason for cuts was that they felt too many people were staying in hospital for too long but I'm not sure whether the loss of 90 beds and 104 jobs is a justifiable answer to that problem.'


Sources

  • 8 March 2007: BBC News

Citation

Eurofound (2007), North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 65070, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/65070.