PCT offers thousands redundancy

Thousands of health staff across Devon have been offered voluntary redundancy as a cost-cutting measure.

A letter has been sent to all 5,000 Devon Primary Care Trust (PCT) staff, giving them nine days to decide whether they wish to leave the NHS.

Staff were offered six weeks pay if they left by 31 December.

The PCT made the offer in an attempt to cut a predicted £10m budget deficit for the end of the financial year. It is believed nobody has accepted the offer.

It is not known how many redundancies the trust would regard as an acceptable number.

Ken Terry, a regional spokesman for Unison, said none of the recognised unions had been consulted about the offer.

"They appear to be railroading it through. I think there are many trusts who are in financial difficulties and we have been able to work through it with them.

"We would like the opportunity to do the same."

No one from the PCT was available for comment.