Hundreds of jobs to go at two hospital trusts

Two hospital trusts will lose 468 jobs, or 3% of their workforce, under plans agreed by health bosses.

A meeting on Wednesday heard the posts would go at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, and West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT), which runs West Suffolk Hospital.

Dr Ed Garratt, chief executive of Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) which held the meeting, said staffing was "not a proxy for performance or productivity, and people should be aware of that context".

However, ESNFT's chief executive Nick Hulme told the BBC he did not "recognise" the figures.

Each ICB in the country needed to submit its financial and operational plans for the next year to the government by Thursday.

On Wednesday night, SNEE ICB, which commissions all the health services in Suffolk and north east Essex, met and agreed its priorities and operational planning report to be sent to government.

At the meeting it was made clear ESNFT would look at cutting 263 full-time posts, or 2% of its workforce, while WSFT had committed to reducing its staffing by 205, or 4% of full-time equivalent staff.

ESNFT has 12,900 staff. Mr Hulme said he did not "recognise the 263 figure" as he was not at the board meeting.

However, he went on to clarify that 395 NHS staff would be moving over to private contractor Sodexo. Those staff are mostly cleaners and caterers.

He added: "The whole time equivalents we are losing is about 45, and all of those are current vacant posts that with a review of our business planning for next year, they have been vacant for a long time and no longer required."

In the report before the SNEE ICB board, it also said it wanted to see its "acute providers", or hospitals, reduce the use of agency and bank staff.

WSFT has, according to the report, "virtually eliminated" use of agency staff.

The financial positions of both hospitals was also discussed, with ESNFT providing a balanced budget for next year.

On the other hand, WSFT would have an agreed overspend of £20m and would need to make savings of £32.7m next year.

Dr Ewen Cameron, WSFT's chief executive, said there was a rigorous process behind the savings plan and he acknowledged the targets were "stretching" - and they were working to "deliver as quickly as they can".

The meeting was also told the East of England Ambulance Service Trust (EEAST) would get an extra 115 posts, with the trust later confirming to the BBC that this number would be 99.

The SNEE ICB heard EEAST would need the posts if it was to meet its "category two" call-out targets, which require an ambulance to arrive within 30 minutes. The current average is 34 minutes.

Dr Andrew Kelso, the executive medical director of SNEE ICB, said if it emerged there were any "unacceptable risks as a result of the plans" they would be brought back in front of the board.

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