Hospital jobs facing the axe

More than 90 workers at Cannock Chase and Stafford hospitals are facing an uncertain future after catering cuts were confirmed today.

Stafford Hospital's Nightingales restaurant will close at weekends, while the kitchens at Cannock will shut down with food sent over from Stafford.

Letters have been sent to 92 catering staff at both hospitals informing them of the changes.

Health bosses today said it was hoped redundancies would not be made but they could not be ruled out completely. A petition set up against the shake-up has already attracted more than 2,000 signatures.

Aaron Cummins, finance director at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Following an extensive review of the catering facilities on both the Cannock and Stafford Hospital sites, our Trust Board approved moving the production of all patient food on to the Stafford site and the closure of the Cannock kitchens.

"In conjunction with this, the board have also approved reducing the opening times of the restaurant at the Stafford site in line with demand." He said consultation is now being held with all affected staff and will run until September 28.

"This formal process commences with a letter notifying staff of the intended changes and the processes that will now follow.

"There have been no redundancy notices served to any staff. The Trust is hopeful that the changes can be implemented without the need for redundancies to be made, however this cannot be guaranteed."

Some of the 92 staff affected are full-time.

Opening hours at the Nightingale restaurant will also be cut on weekdays, it has emerged. Once changes are finalised, it will be open from 8.30am to 7pm instead of 7.30am to 8pm.