THE axing of up to 150 jobs and the closure of hospital wards in Winchester has moved closer.
Managers at the Winchester and Eastleigh NHS Healthcare Trust say they are almost certain to impose compulsory redundancies as they battle to modernise the service and overcome chronic financial difficulties.
Even nurses could be made redundant as managers try to save £5.5m before April 2006. Managers hope to make the reductions through natural wastage, retraining and redeployment.
Bosses plan to save five per cent on staffing costs across the healthcare trust and the Mid Hampshire Primary Care Trust. They currently employ 3,000 people and run sites including the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester.
The boards of the two trusts have agreed the proposals - the healthcare trust last night and the PCT on Tuesday.
They have supported an initial cut of 34 beds at the RHCH once the Treatment Centre is opened and up to another 41 at a later stage. The jobs could start to go from July. Cutting jobs could save £4m a year, the healthcare trust board heard.
Managers say the cuts are crucial to put the trust on a sound financial footing.
A formal consultation with staff over the cuts will begin on April 1.
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