More than 500 jobs are to be scrapped at hospitals in Staffordshire as the number of beds is slashed by almost 40 per cent under new plans.

The Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees Stafford and Cannock hospitals, anticipates that by March 2015 there will be 17 per cent fewer patients.

The anticipated drop in the number of patients will also mean 541 fewer full-time posts – a 20 per cent reduction. But hospital bosses say there will be no need for redundancies as the reduction will be achieved through natural turnover of staff.

The reduction in services will also help deal with the predicted 2014-15 deficit of £37.8m.

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