Hospital trust reveals plans to cut 260 jobs as it battles £57m shortfall
Hundreds of jobs are set to go
A hospital trust is undertaking a voluntary redundancy programme that will reduce its workforce by 260 full-time equivalent posts in the current year.
The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, responsible for hospitals in Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury, is attempting to save £57million as it tries to balance the books.
At the trust’s annual general meeting held in Dewsbury on September 10, chief executive Brent Kilmurray outlined the scale of the financial challenge.
He explained that meeting the savings target would require "significant shifts" including staff reductions through voluntary redundancies.
Mr Kilmurray confirmed that the trust had completed a second round of these redundancies recently, bidding farewell to numerous key employees, with further departures planned before the start of the new year.
The meeting was told that approximately 70 per cent of the trust’s annual income of £800 million is allocated to wages and staff costs.
The plan demands the trust deliver a 260 whole-time equivalent reduction this year, with a similar number anticipated to be needed next year.
Chief financial officer Amy Whitaker revealed that the trust managed to save £37.5 million in the preceding financial year but still finished with a £21.1 million deficit.
A Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust spokesperson, said: “Delivering our financial improvement plan is one of our four key priorities.
"By using our resources in the most effective way, we will be in the best place to deliver better patient care.
“The voluntary redundancy scheme is one of the ways we are working towards meeting our savings target. We’ve worked hard to ensure colleagues have been well-informed when making a decision of whether to apply, and supported them as much as possible through the process.
“When assessing any application, our primary consideration is any potential impact on patient safety. That is at the heart of our decision whether to approve or reject applications.
“We’d like to acknowledge colleagues who have already left or are leaving us on voluntary redundancy. We thank them for the service they have given to the Trust and the communities we serve, and we wish them well in the future.”