83 jobs 'must go' at NHS trust

The trust runs Ormskirk and District General Hospital

Eighty-three people will have to lose their jobs at hospitals in Merseyside and Lancashire as an NHS trust tries to reduce its deficit.

The Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs two hospitals in Southport and another in Ormskirk said 33 posts must go immediately.

Chief Executive Jonathan Parry said a further 50 jobs need to be identified for compulsory redundancy.

He said a recruitment freeze and other cost-cutting measures were not enough.

The trust has been told it must save £10m this year.

Earlier this year the trust announced it would need to shed jobs and staff were offered the chance of applying for voluntary early retirement or voluntary redundancy.

'Not proud'

The trust said with the exception of ward-based nurses, staff at all levels have been considered and the list affects a range of jobs and grades.

Staff whose jobs are at risk will now be seen by their managers over the next few days to have the selection process explained to them.

Mr Parry said: "This is not something that the trust is proud of and we will continue to do all that we can to limit the number of staff affected."

He said they had a £14m recovery plan over a two-year period.

He added that trade unions have been fully consulted at every stage of the process.