Figure for NI health job losses doubles

5 Apr 07
The number of jobs expected to be lost in Northern Ireland's health trusts has doubled, the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety has told staff.

06 April 2007

The number of jobs expected to be lost in Northern Ireland's health trusts has doubled, the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety has told staff.

Instead of up to 800 jobs going through the reorganisation of the trusts, it is now assumed that 1,700 executive, managerial and clerical posts will be deleted. The jobs will be lost over four years, eventually releasing £50m a year into service improvements.

From the beginning of April, 18 health trusts merged into five, covering the Belfast, Northern, Southern, South Eastern and Western areas.

But it was only at the end of March that staff were notified of the revised figures for related job cuts. The staff newsletter said the higher figure was the result of demands arising from the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Outgoing direct rule health minister Paul Goggins said: 'A more streamlined and focused system will mean greater efficiency.'

Nipsa — the main public sector union in Northern Ireland – described the job cuts as 'unacceptable' and said that compulsory redundancies would be 'fiercely resisted'.

PFapr2007

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