Hospital chief warns of jobs cuts in the South West

Hospital bosses have warned there will be job cuts in Bristol as a result of high inflation and a lack of funding.

The regional head of the NHS in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire has warned of cuts after as temporary funding has come to an end.

The warning has come in a week when the NHS across England will experience a series of walk-outs.

NHS bosses say many staff in fixed-term posts in the South West are unlikely to have their contracts renewed. It has not been made clear how many roles will be affected by the cutbacks.

Shane Devlin, the regional head of the NHS added that he is hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies.

The government provided extra money to NHS organisations during the pandemic but this funding is now coming to an end.

Devlin, the chief executive of the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, warned that savings will have to be made.

He said: “We do have a number of people who are affected by the change.

“They are all individually aware of that change.

“Because part of our change has meant a considerable reduction in fixed term posts, and also because we have held a large number of vacancies, we have not gone out with a voluntary redundancies process.

“There will still be people affected, but we are hoping to avoid any form of compulsory redundancies.”