NHS set to axe 160 jobs

THE Pennine Acute NHS Trust, which runs Royal Oldham Hospital, is cutting up to 160 jobs.

A fall in minor surgeries over the past year means the trust will receive £21 million less in the next 12 months.

Non-urgent procedures, such as wisdom tooth extraction, will no longer be referred by doctors. Tonsilectomies have reduced by 40 per cent.

A 90-day consultation with trade unions will explain the effect on services, as well as the reduction of income. The measures the trust is taking to avoid job losses will also be explained.

Compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out.

Janine Dyson from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the North West said: “I never thought I’d see the day when registered nurses would be made compulsorily redundant.

“Naturally, I’m extremely worried and concerned about the impact of these proposals on patient care and services at Pennine Acute.”

Bosses say A&E, children’s services, maternity and cancer services will not be affected.

The Trust reduced 1,000 posts last year as part of a plan to save £43 million.