An NHS trust providing mental health services across Lancashire and South Cumbria is in the process of cutting jobs.
Blog Preston can reveal Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust is going through a restructure which affects both clinical and non-clinical staff.
Health bosses at the Walton Summit headquartered trust have to find a saving of £39million by April 2026 and Blog Preston understands redeployment of staff is being undertaken wherever possible to avoid compulsory redundancies.
Blog Preston has been told in some teams one in ten people are have been placed at risk and up to 200 jobs could go. The Trust currently employs more than 7,000 people serving a population of 1.8million across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
The Trust would not confirm the total number of people placed at risk but said at this stage 46 redundancies were likely to take place with the vast majority of those being voluntary redundancies.
Chief executive officer Chris Oliver told Blog Preston: “Like many other NHS organisations both nationally and regionally, we must work within our allocated budgets. As a Trust when we make any decision, including financial efficiencies, we consider the impact on communities, our services and our colleagues.
“Our efficiency target for this financial year is £39 million. Of our total Trust budget, over 70% relates to workforce costs and therefore a significant element of efficiencies will need to come from workforce redesign.
“Our teams have identified a range of service changes – both clinical and non-clinical – to support delivery of the efficiency target which must undergo robust equality and quality impact assessments, approved by our chief medical and chief nursing officers with oversight from our Trust Board. Within some of these changes are workforce reductions.
“We have a range of measures in place to ensure compulsory redundancies are kept to a minimum and we expect the number of colleagues being made compulsory redundant to be small. To mitigate compulsory redundancy we have not recruited to vacant posts when clinically safe to do so, to ensure suitable alternative employment for impacted colleagues as well as launching a voluntary redundancy scheme for those who may feel this option suits their personal circumstances.
“We know this is a difficult time for our colleagues and thank them for their continued commitment to our patients and each other as we continue to navigate this period of change.”
Trust urged to be transparent over plans
South Ribble’s Labour MP, who has the headquarters of the Trust within his constituency, Paul Foster said: “The Trust has said the number of redundancies will be “small”, but given that it employs more than 7,000 people and is seeking £39 million in savings, I think it’s important we understand what this actually means in practice, how many roles are affected, and where those reductions might fall. £39 million is a significant figure, and the impact on both staff and patients must be closely monitored.
“I fully appreciate that the Trust must live within its means, particularly after a period of financial instability. Taxpayers rightly expect the NHS to deliver value for money, and as technology and AI continue to evolve, some roles across the public sector will inevitably change or be automated. However, behind every efficiency measure are real people, families and livelihoods and that human impact can’t be ignored.
“My team and I will be keeping in close contact with the Trust to ensure transparency throughout this process, and we stand ready to support anyone in our area who may be affected, helping to signpost to the appropriate employment and wellbeing services.”
What does the Trust do?
There are 27 Care Quality Commission registered premises operating by the Trust.
They are responsible for mental health, learning disability, autism and community-based services in Lancashire and South Cumbria.
Care and support is provided to people in a range of settings.
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