Bedford Hospital asks staff to save money

The hospital trust is looking to save £250,000 through staff economies

A hospital trust in Bedfordshire has asked staff to save £250,000 over three weeks to stop it going into the red and missing out on foundation trust status.

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust has given staff a list of money-saving measures that include treating more patients and using cheaper drug alternatives.

The union UNISON said was "appalled at the trust's begging message to staff".

But the trust maintained it was taking such measures to avoid an end-of-year deficit.

Chief executive Jean O'Callaghan said: "In an extremely challenging financial environment it should come as no surprise that the trust is doing all it can to save money and ensure it ends the financial year out of deficit.

"For many months the trust has sought and received the support of staff to save money where they can without compromising patient care."

The trust said it had spent £17,700 on its foundation trust application this year and had announced no redundancies.

'Absolute nonsense'

In August 2006 Bedford Hospital NHS Trust announced 121 job cuts, and reduced costs by not filling posts in a bid to reduce a £12m budget deficit.

This week it sent out an internal briefing suggesting staff could help it save £250,000 by buying lunch in one of the hospital's restaurants and "avoiding ordering any non-essential items, dramatically reducing printing and photocopying and switching off lights and computers".

The briefing concluded: "The pennies and pounds you save could be the difference between becoming a Foundation Trust or not."

UNISON's regional organiser John Toomey said: "The trust has spent a huge amount of money campaigning to get foundation trust status, involving the loss of hundreds of jobs and pay cuts.

"For the trust to now go to its staff with a begging bowl to scrape together so called savings and stating that this will make a difference as to whether it gets Foundation status or not, well, if it wasn't so serious...it would be laughable."

But Ms O'Callaghan said the union's suggestions were "absolute nonsense".

"Those trusts which do not make foundation trust status will become part of an existing Foundation Trust.

"We don't want that for Bedford Hospital or for Bedford Hospital staff."