Barnsley Hospital review prompts cut fears

Bosses at Barnsley Hospital have brought in an external management team to address a £2.2m deficit in its surgical department.

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said the move was to prevent a "significant deficit" worsening.

Three senior hospital managers have been placed on gardening leave on full pay after a review found the current recovery plan was not working.

The Unison union has raised concerns that the move will lead to job losses.

A Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: "It has been agreed to bring in external specialised support to manage the division and its performance. These specialists have been tasked with both initially stabilising the situation and then to lead the division at an increased pace of recovery and to improve performance."

'Difficult situation'

He added: "In terms of the three senior hospital staff managers directly affected, the trust recognises this is a difficult situation and talks are ongoing with them to reach an amiable resolution over identifying appropriate alternative roles within the organisation.

"We can assure patients and their relatives there will be no effect on the first-class services and care they receive which are always our top priority."

Rianne Johnson, of Unison, said members were worried the intervention could lead to ward closures and redundancies.

"We appreciate something has to be done and the trust cannot continue building this deficit, but we want some stability back. Compulsory redundancies and cuts to frontline services must be avoided."