Hundreds of hospital jobs will go

More than 340 posts will be shed from hospitals in Sandwell and Birmingham as part of a £20 million cost-cutting programme.

Up to 20 of those jobs will go through compulsory redundancies, bosses said.Around 20 more job losses will be voluntary, while the rest will be achieved through natural wastage or apply to posts that are already vacant.

Hospital bosses have insisted none of the compulsory job cuts will affect front-line staff and will not impact upon patient care at Sandwell, Rowley Regis and City hospitals.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust says the majority of the positions are already vacant or will be reduced through natural wastage over the next year.

Consultation is now under way with unions and staff members who may be affected by redundancy.

The trust, which has delivered a £2.3m surplus for the current financial year, has been ordered to deliver a £20m "cost improvement programme" next year as part of a national drive to cope with reduced public sector funding.

The figures have been revealed in the trust's Annual Plan which will be presented at a trust board meeting on Thursday.

Hospitals trust spokeswoman Jessamy Kinghorn said: "Most of the 340 posts are already vacant or we know will become vacant."