About 100 NHS staff have been given ‘job at risk’ notices as a Northamptonshire trust tries to plug a £9.5 million funding gap.
Northamptonshire Healthcare (NHFT) is being forced to ‘re-design’ four services after funding was cut, including respite for adults with learning disabilities, such as The Martins facility in Rushden, a crisis phone line for mentally ill patients who feel at risk, and podiatry services.
Also being looked at are services for neurologically disabled people, including Favell House respite centre in Kettering Road, Northampton, which was saved from closure just last year.
As the NHFT has been bound by purdah rules pertaining to the local elections, it has been unable to give many details so far. However a public consultation will be carried out and more details will be announced in the coming week.
A message to staff on March 27 from chief executive Ron Shields, who left the trust this week, said: “All these changes have implications for which services we provide, how they are provided, who provides them and how we support those that work in them.
“It is highly likely that we will also need to make further changes beyond those already communicated as the healthcare economy continues to change.
“Regrettably, at this point, we do not fully understand the nature of all the changes nor exactly how these will impact staff. What we do know is that there will be a requirement to reduce further the number of staff employed.”
THE trust needs to save £9.5 million and will consult about reducing management and cutting directors’ pay.
Outgoing chief, Ron Shields, said: “Our commissioners have less money to spend with us, the number of organisations who can also now provide our services is growing, patient voices are being heard and our own effectiveness is under scrutiny. But we will continue to find ways to deliver quality integrated care for and with patients.”