200 face jobs axe at Sandwell hospital trust in bid to save £16m
More than 200 jobs face being axed at Sandwell's hospital trust during the next 12 months to slash more than £16 million from the wage bill.
It's the next phase of wider plans by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals Trust to cut around 1,400 posts over five years.
Bosses are looking to scrap 205 'whole time equivalent' positions by March 2016 – but say around 260 workers are expected to be affected by the move.
A consultation is under way and it's hoped that a 'significant' number of the posts can be cut by redeploying staff or not recruiting to vacant roles.
The hospital trust, which runs Sandwell Hospital and City Hospital, has already redeployed 150 workers to other roles since first announcing its wider plans last year.
Despite looking at reducing its pay bill, the hospital trust has vowed to continue investing in more A&E consultants and nurses.
A report by chief executive Toby Lewis, which will go before directors of the trust's board this week,
states: "A statutory consultation process will commence for affected staff groups. Circa 260 staff will be affected by the changes proposed. A significant amount of posts will be released through the disestablishment of vacant posts and re-deployment."
The report says the plans will reduce the trust's pay costs by £16.1m.
It comes after NHS inspectors declared that Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust requires improvement.
A&E, medical care, surgery and children and young people's services also required improvement, the Care Quality Commission report found.
Critical care and end of life care were rated as 'good', but outpatient services were rated as 'inadequate' following the visit.
Some aspects of the safety of services were criticised.
The inspectors said the trust's bid to boost safety was 'potentially at cross purposes' with the trust's proposals to cut back on jobs.
But Mr Lewis said during the first phase of the cost-cutting programme 150 staff members were redeployed to other job roles rather than losing those individuals.
Bosses are recruiting more staff including A&E consultants and nurses and say they are monitoring staff levels.
