24 January 2011 Last updated at 13:48 ET

Blackpool hospitals trust to cut 620 posts in 15 months

The trust hopes to avoid compulsory redundancies

Hospital staff on the Fylde coast have been told that up to 620 jobs could go in the next 15 months.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it had to save about £50m in the next four years.

The trust, which runs Blackpool Victoria Hospital and has an annual turnover of 400 staff, said it hoped to avoid compulsory redundancies.

It said front-line services would be protected during the cost-saving process.

About 4,150 full-time staff members are employed by the trust, which also runs the Clifton, Fleetwood, and Rossall hospitals.

'Last resort'

Trust chief executive Aidan Kehoe said: "Through the initiatives we have introduced so far to improve quality, productivity and efficiency we have reduced our costs by £12m this financial year.

"Unfortunately the level of savings required means that we now have to look at what more we can do to reduce costs whilst protecting front-line services.

"We will be focusing on making savings by reducing our management costs, making best use of our estate and significantly reducing spend in areas such as corporate services.

"Compulsory redundancies are a last resort and we will do all we can to avoid them.

"We are committed to staff engagement and we will keep people informed throughout the process and do all we can to retain any staff who may be affected by the changes to the services we provide."