More than 780 jobs set to be cut by NHS trust

More than 780 full time positions at an NHS trust are set to be axed as part of cost-saving measures.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said it would have to reduce its workforce in mostly non-clinical roles to "protect frontline services".

The trust's CEO David French said the decision to close positions had been made as the organisation tries to "live within our financial means".

The shake-up has been driven by the government, which has called on the NHS to reduce waiting lists, improve care and operate in a more financially viable way.

Mr French said: "Our core purpose is to provide outstanding care for our patients, and that, along with supporting our staff, is guiding every decision that we're making."

He said the trust had received a financial settlement with the government that was "lower than we'd hoped for and anticipated", and had to save £110m as a result.

"As a publicly funded organization with a responsibility to the taxpayer, it is our job to do the best we can within that money," he said.

A lack of financial reserves, along with a financial settlement that was less than the trust currently spends, had caused "action of this scale", Mr French said.

In total, 620 permanent staff members and 165 temporary employees will see their positions close under the plans.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust currently employs about 13,000 people - with many based at its flagship hospital, Southampton General.

Mr French told the BBC the trust had to "do everything we can to protect frontline services and use all of the assets that we've got as productively and as efficiently as possible".

He said the "majority" of roles closing would be "non-patient facing" positions, adding that the trust had looked "particularly hard" for any possible savings.

Positions being lost are thought to be within HR, finance and communications.

The trust was "working hard to minimise the impact" of the job cuts for "staff and patients", Mr French said.

"Our expectation and the government's expectation is that the waiting list will continue to reduce," he added.

The announcement follows the news last month that neighbouring NHS trusts in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight had earmarked up to 800 jobs to be cut as part of cost-saving measures.

"This isn't just Southampton, many trusts across the country and are in exactly the same situation," Mr French said.

Further losses of up to 50% are also expected at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (ICB) and other ICBs in the region.

In March, the government announced plans to abolish NHS England, the body responsible for commissioning and improving health services across the UK.

The shake-up is driven by the Department of Health and Social Care, which has said it is part of a wider plan to protect frontline services and help improve patient care.

A spokesperson for the government department previously said: "We are reforming the NHS to cut bureaucracy and make savings so we can focus on empowering frontline staff to deliver better care for patients, while getting value for taxpayers' money.

"We are investing an extra £26bn in health and care, and have already made progress on our mission to cut waiting lists – delivering an extra three million appointments in six months and cutting the waiting list by 219,000 since July."

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