Hospital to axe hundreds of jobs

Nearly 1,200 jobs are to go and 186 beds will be lost as bosses streamline services following the merger of two hospitals, it has been confirmed.

Unions fear the cutbacks at Nottingham City Hospital and the Queen's Medical Centre could affect patient care.

Consultants, nurses, clerical staff and management are all affected.

The hospital trust says it accepts this is an unsettling time for staff but says the changes will be made as quickly as possible.

These aren't back-room job losses, these are front-line job losses Ravi Subramanian, Unison

The public sector union Unison fears the cuts will have an adverse effect on patients and essential services will be lost.

The beds to be lost will go over the next 18 months.

The Trust's Chief Executive, Peter Homa, said: "We have to think differently about how we can deliver safe services to our patients within the context of the financial challenges that all trusts now face.

"For example, there is a move towards delivering more services out in the community, so we will need fewer hospital beds as patients are able to access certain aspects of their healthcare nearer to home."

Ravi Subramanian from the union Unison said: "We said there would be job losses as the result of this merger and it's really sad to see that these aren't back-room job losses, these are front-line job losses."