Thousand Jobs Go In Stoke
March 17th 2006
A hospital group is planning 1,200 job cuts to deal with £15 million worth of debts, it was reported yesterday. One in seven jobs would go at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust, based in Stoke-on-Trent.
According to the Stoke Sentinel, the job cuts could involve more than 750 compulsory redundancies.
Up to 400 nurses and midwives could be put on the jobs market as could 15 consultants.
Some 240 managers and administrators would also go.
Some 167 beds will be closed, out of 1,300.
The trust had aimed to reduce its workforce through voluntary redundancies - but found it could only accept 100 out of 500 applicants.
Chief executive Anthony Sumara said: "We hope once this most difficult part of the changes is completed the vast majority of staff who remain can begin to feel more secure and confident in the future.
"This is a very good hospital and I know it is only through the tremendous efforts of our staff that we have met our targets and made changes to our working practices that have so improved life for our patients, so I am deeply saddened we now find ourselves in this position."
Pat Powell, secretary of the hospital’s Unison branch, said: "This is a very bleak day for the hospital and North Staffordshire.
"I know of no other hospital in the UK getting rid of so many staff. I blame Government policy for this and one wonders what action local politicians are taking with so many redundancies happening at the heart of their patch."
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