Dozens of staff are expected to leave the trust which runs the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital under a voluntary resignation scheme.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has launched a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS) for non-medical staff. While this is different to redundancy, it would allow employees the potential to receive a payment when they leave their role.
Staff across the trust, which is also responsible for community health services and the Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre, were informed of the plans this week and told that the scheme was being launched as the trust needs to make financial savings.
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They were also told that the MARS was developed with the aims of increasing workforce flexibility and improving efficiency.
Blog Preston understands that no specific targets have been set for the number of job losses or overall savings but it is anticipated that up to 40 departures could happen under the scheme. All will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with applications not guaranteed to be accepted.
A spokesperson for the trust said: “Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has introduced a Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS) for eligible staff across the organisation. The scheme does not apply to medical or dental staff. It has been introduced partly because of ongoing and significant financial pressures but also to enable service development, in line with the wider NHS transformation agenda – such as the increased use of digital technology.
“During the last few years, we have had ongoing engagement with staff to identify ways of working more efficiently and sustainably and schemes like this can help to free up resources that can either be taken as direct savings or used differently in the future.
“The scheme provides colleagues who may already be considering a career change or a personal move with the option to leave the Trust in a compassionate and carefully managed way. Participation is entirely voluntary and there is no requirement for staff to apply.
“Patient safety and the delivery of high-quality care remain our priority. All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure services are maintained and that the Trust can continue to meet the needs of patients now and in the future.”
We revealed in summer 2024 a similar scheme had been undertaken by the trust with staff encouraged to quit in return for a pay out.
Late last year it was reported how the trust’s management were under increasing pressure to get a grip of its financial situation, with a £15m gap in its budget. NHS England has threatened to replace top bosses if they do not get control of the financial problems.
And in September last year the trust was ranked in the bottom 10 NHS trusts in England due to its financial performance.
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