County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

700 jobs
Number of planned job losses

Announcement Date

23 March 2006

Employment effect (start)

Foreseen end date

Description

County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust have announced that up to 700 posts, including nurses, will go over the next three years. The trust's chief executive John Saxby said demand for beds was falling because many patients were now being treated at home by community nurses. Mr Saxby said his trust was not in debt, but the imminent introduction of the NHS tariff would mean his hospitals would fall into debt if the job cuts did not go ahead. This is because hospitals will receive funds on the basis of patients treated and less patients would mean less money for the trust.

The trust, which employs 6,000 workers, said 300 posts could go in the next 12 months and up to 400 over the following two years.

A spokesman said it was hoped this would be possible through "natural turnover" of staff and patient care "will not be affected".