Royal Berkshire Hospital set to make job cuts

A hospital in Reading is looking to make job cuts in a bid to save money.

The Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) is planning to launch a "mutually agreed resignation scheme" in order to achieve "financial stability".

The trust that runs the hospital has not confirmed the number of job losses it is seeking to make, but it follows similar announcements at other NHS bodies across England.

In a statement it said patient care would not be "compromised" and it was still committed to delivering "safe and high quality care".

A Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "We are facing severe financial challenges and are looking at ways of saving money and finding ways of working more efficiently and effectively."

"We are working closely with our staff to find the best ways of achieving financial stability and this includes a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme.

"At the heart of all this work is our commitment to the delivery of safe and high quality care to our patients and we will ensure this is not compromised."

An NHS guide describes such resignation schemes as "a form of voluntary severance" designed "to create job vacancies".

The government has said it is investing an extra £25bn in health and care, but the NHS is facing rising costs and more complex health needs.

This comes alongside a push to get more people treated in the community, instead of in hospitals.

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