Up to 600 jobs could be lost at Royal Bolton Hospital

9:00am Monday 22nd October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Jessica Bell, Health reporter

UP TO 600 jobs could be lost at the Royal Bolton Hospital as bosses try to make £38 million savings.

If there is no improvement in Bolton NHS Foundation Trust’s financial situation by December, its board of directors could face a major shake-up.

The revelations were announced to staff by Unison officials in 10 meetings.

In August, the Trust was put in “red risk” by health watchdog Monitor, following a damning financial report and the revelation £3.8 million was “unaccounted” for at the hospital.

Savings of up to £20 million need to be made this year alone and the figure could rise to £38 million in the next two years and £50 million in the next three.

The Trust is currently in deficit after it borrowed £8 million from the Department of Health to pay staff wages and keep the hospital going until the end of December.

John Murphy, joint chairman of Staff Side, which represents hospital employees, said: “We need to make £38 million worth of savings in the next two years. For every £20 million we save there is a loss of 300 posts.

“It means 550 to 600 posts that will be lost in the Trust in the next couple of years.”

He said the board and a turnaround team, which includes expert advisors from Deloitte, were under pressure to make financial improvements.

Mr Murphy added: “The bridging £8 million loan will ensure staff are paid until December. By which time the turnaround team should be starting to see some improvements.

“If there is no significant improvement, that has dire consequences for the board.”

Interim chairman of the Trust, David Wakefield, who was appointed by Monitor to replace the outgoing chairman, Bolton Council leader Cllr Cliff Morris, has stressed the savings would not affect patient safety.

Monitor took the unusual step of intervening in the Trust, the first time it has done so this financial year, and told hospital chiefs to appoint a Turnaround Director and external advisers to create a “robust recovery plan”.

The Trust has confirmed that some jobs would be cut but said the exact figure was not known and they would try to factor in people retiring or leaving their positions as much as possible.

Heather Edwards, head of communications at the Trust, said: “At this point we don’t know exactly how much savings will be needed or which posts we can let go.

“The precise amount of savings will be dependent on a number of factors, including the national operating framework going forward, which is due in November.”

She added Mr Wakefield would meet with Monitor before December to explain what action was being taken to bring financial improvements.

Mrs Edwards said: “If Monitor is not satisfied with this they can intervene further and take what action they deem appropriate. The Trust is working hard to develop a robust plan.”

Comments(32)

mustafa-moan says...
9:10am Mon 22 Oct 12

Well done Cliff, look at the legacy you have left for the next generation in Bolton? While your sit in your elevated ivory tower, creaming off all the profits in your numerous salaries, just be thankful that the people of Bolton allowed you to feather your nest while the little people suffer!

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Bob Shaftoe says...
10:02am Mon 22 Oct 12

mustafa-moan wrote:
Well done Cliff, look at the legacy you have left for the next generation in Bolton? While your sit in your elevated ivory tower, creaming off all the profits in your numerous salaries, just be thankful that the people of Bolton allowed you to feather your nest while the little people suffer!
Correct. The saying (fat) rats and sinking ships springs to mind. What a terrible situation he has left the town with.

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danssoncabaret says...
11:44am Mon 22 Oct 12

Bob Shaftoe wrote:
mustafa-moan wrote:
Well done Cliff, look at the legacy you have left for the next generation in Bolton? While your sit in your elevated ivory tower, creaming off all the profits in your numerous salaries, just be thankful that the people of Bolton allowed you to feather your nest while the little people suffer!
Correct. The saying (fat) rats and sinking ships springs to mind. What a terrible situation he has left the town with.
I have maintained for a long while now that anything our so called Leader Morris and his ill informed henchmen have delte with have driven this town in to degredation and poverty. Many bad decisions and choices have been made, much needless money spent. ( Consultants ect.)
Morris jumped ship ( Before he was pushed? ) As Chairman of the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
. After years on the gravy train many of the top job wallers should also consider their inflated positions and should likewise jump.( Before being pushed)

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SmoggyDiasboro says...
1:04pm Mon 22 Oct 12

£8m won't last very long with Deloittes' consultants' day rates.

Maybe the BN could send an FOI request for details of how much per day, how many days per week for each grade of management consultant, and manager, and how much is budgeted in total up to, say, 31 March next year?

Whilst all these people are actually running the Hospital Trust, are we still paying for the day to day staff (Chief Exec downwards) as well?

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Bendix says...
2:14pm Mon 22 Oct 12

When is Cliff Morris going to be called to account? Why is he not investigated and removed from all public offices?

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Puffin-Billy says...
2:50pm Mon 22 Oct 12

There is no "accidental" "incompetent" or "unforseen" element about the financial situation within the NHS. It is being deliberately engineered.
The NHS is deliberately being underfunded, in order to open the door to privatisation.
The economic climate, and the longevity of the population are just convenient excuses.
Look at The Nuffield Trust and Monitor websites. privatisation is the goal and "competition" is a key component.
Save up for Mitt Romney style private health insurance, and wave goodbye to the NHS.

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Puffin-Billy says...
2:53pm Mon 22 Oct 12

The "Healthier Together" campaign is not only operating in Bolton and Greater Manchester; it is a UK wide operation, coordinated by the "European Commission", and the "Health and Consumer Protection Directorate - General".

It is a campaign of privatisation in which "Monitor" and "The Nuffield Trust" play major roles in this country.

Wave goodbye to your NHS, and say hello to Mitt Romney style Massachusetts health care insurance reform.

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temujin says...
6:44pm Mon 22 Oct 12

Quite clearly outsourcing to the private sector must be considered. Whether it's the correct solution in this case must depend on the facts. It can't be ruled out just to appease left wing trade unions.

Circle have done an excellent job with Hinchingbrooke.

The era of delivery of public services exclusively by the public sector is over.

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afemale says...
7:20pm Mon 22 Oct 12

Puffin-Billy wrote:
There is no "accidental" "incompetent" or "unforseen" element about the financial situation within the NHS. It is being deliberately engineered.
The NHS is deliberately being underfunded, in order to open the door to privatisation.
The economic climate, and the longevity of the population are just convenient excuses.
Look at The Nuffield Trust and Monitor websites. privatisation is the goal and "competition" is a key component.
Save up for Mitt Romney style private health insurance, and wave goodbye to the NHS.
so very true, there are "power's that be" being paid huge salaries to "sabotage the service !!!! and the public are being conned into believing the NHS is failing miserably, surely these people employed to take care of the trust's finances are highly trained, skilled professional's in the field of finance and therefore one would expect the debt to lessen over a period of time but this has clearly not been the case in fact the debt just becomes bigger and bigger!!! SOMAT NOT RIGHT THERE, no true professional would ever want to appear as being this incompetent by faiing miserably as they have done

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Leannemarie82 says...
7:37pm Mon 22 Oct 12

Will the chief executive take a pay cut from her six figure sum wage.???in 2010 the bolton evening news published a story the chief executive is payed more than our prime minister .....
I have worked I the hospital almost 11 years I have never seen the chief executive, she is just a picture on a board and a name to me

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honkytonk1 says...
9:11pm Mon 22 Oct 12

the staff and departments are trying to do their best - when staff leave they are not being replaced which is added pressure on those left and the stress levels are high, and morale is low. NHS is a caring organisation with highly skilled professionals trying to do a good job. The `top dogs` need to go if they dont do thri job properly. What will MR C. Morris do or go if he continue to eat his pies, he needs urgent care and theres no A&E at Bolton? Will he then neat `humble` pie?
Wake up and smell the coffee - its the end because of those at No 10 who can afford private healthcare.

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bungee1 says...
11:07pm Mon 22 Oct 12

It seems to me that moaning about what has happened is not going to help. Yes, those at fault should be punished but that will not keep staff. This is our hospital and we need to do something about the present situation. I vote for asking everyone, patients, visitors and staff alike to contribute towards a fund to get us out of this mess. Any takers?

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stuck in the middle with you says...
11:12pm Mon 22 Oct 12

This hospital has been underfunded for many years. As one of the busiest A&E's in the country, its funding does not match its turnover of patients. We need a reality check here and hopefully external auditors can provide this evidence soon. It is easy to critisize former management and lay the blame at their door. But at the end of the day funding comes from government and with cut backs this is not easy to achieve. Mr. Fillingham chief exec. prior to Lesley Doherty had a lot to do with this who tied us into funding that did not allow for expansion in the future. He bailed out and left us with the fallout.
We are seen as a run of the mill regional hospital who should get funded accordingly. With patients from a wide geographical base such as Bolton, Leigh, Atherton, Salford and Bury this does not tie in with present funding levels.
Yes, savings can be made but the indians at ground level are currently over-stretched.
Where do we go from here if Bolton A&E closes? Do the 120,000 plus patients a year queue up at a Manchester hospital with their sleeping bags. I somehow can't see that.
Yes change is coming, but it needs to be realistic and fit in with the expectations of the people of Bolton. Governments come and go but what we need is consistency.

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COMING@YOU says...
11:13pm Mon 22 Oct 12

this is a disscusting bringing in a turnaround team ha ha carn't pay for what the nhs as now what should be look'ed into is if this A&E close's what area /s are to be coverd when ive been in there the as been poeple from leigh, wigan, bury, so how mutch does bolton cover.? its just as bad going to the gp's in an emergencey you get sent all over to the new centre's with not many people in .what a wast of money .. the top fat cat here should get in the deep end cover for the nurse's & Dr that are under stress in the busy times or if out happend to him /her should be taken to A&E TREATED LIKE ANYONE ELLS. in the Qs. may be fait will prevail lets see were we will all be sent what ever the out come . it was bad enough when the hospictal shut down in bolton centre . take a wage cut fat cat & DR with lots of letters after the names & think about the underdogs being treated with respect you are all on the same team to help people .... ARN'T YOU ...

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COMING@YOU says...
11:20pm Mon 22 Oct 12

bungee1 wrote:
It seems to me that moaning about what has happened is not going to help. Yes, those at fault should be punished but that will not keep staff. This is our hospital and we need to do something about the present situation. I vote for asking everyone, patients, visitors and staff alike to contribute towards a fund to get us out of this mess. Any takers?
THATS NOT A BAD IDEA BUT HAY WHATS THE HEALTH LOTTARY FOR ..bet it all goe's down south & east may thick again about putting out on ..But then again who's to say the chairman will not take a cut ? must be hard to be top & still get a team in to do the tydieing up & walk away ..i will put sumthing in.. good on you ..

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Horwich Observer says...
11:50pm Mon 22 Oct 12

This government will keep squeezing until nothing left. Add that to bad overpaid management and nothing will be left. Just how Cameron and his chums want it........privatised
. How can is work when the population of Bolton is growing but the budgets get smaller.

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Horwich Observer says...
11:51pm Mon 22 Oct 12

Few typing errors sorry, its late am tired........

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macauley says...
12:41am Tue 23 Oct 12

time is running out for this **** hole.

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oftbewildered2 says...
6:43am Tue 23 Oct 12

temujin wrote:
Quite clearly outsourcing to the private sector must be considered. Whether it's the correct solution in this case must depend on the facts. It can't be ruled out just to appease left wing trade unions.

Circle have done an excellent job with Hinchingbrooke.

The era of delivery of public services exclusively by the public sector is over.
does this mean that if we go 'private' we would not have to pay National Insurance, rather pay that money into the Healthcare Fund of our choice?

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Joesixpack says...
9:23am Tue 23 Oct 12

As if there were no room for improvement at the hugely overstaffed Bolton Royal. Whenever I have been there it looks like the old story of about 20% trying to do a good job, the bottom 20% do the minimum and those in between get pulled down.

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bungee1 says...
10:02am Tue 23 Oct 12

Thanks coming@you. So far you are the only one to take me up on the challenge. If every person who walked through the hospital doors every day just put £1 in a collection there would soon be enough to pay off the debt.

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Bendix says...
10:10am Tue 23 Oct 12

I put more than £1 into the hospital each time I go there - car park fees.

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bungee1 says...
11:18am Tue 23 Oct 12

Bendix. This is an emergency and we can do something about it, as a one off. I don't like paying car park fees either but that's not what this is about.

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Bendix says...
1:08pm Tue 23 Oct 12

The problem is a function of:
1: appalling leadership
2: ineffective board
3: lousy senior management
4: public sector culture

Chipping in a quid on each visit is totally irrelevant. Privatisation is the solution.

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Bendix says...
1:10pm Tue 23 Oct 12

Oh yes and of course the unions.

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smiley_mad says...
8:39pm Tue 23 Oct 12

the management of Royal Bolton Hospital should focus also on the lower level employees such as porters, HCA,s and staff nurses, they are one who work hard enough...more workloads and more stress. but they are just taken for granted, maybe some member of the higher level staff they are not doing their responsibilities in regards to their post, they should be the one who act, will enforce what it should be done to deliver and meet the higher level of standard care for the patients, they should be involved, hands on in patients care, not just staying in the office most of the time, staffing level is one of the main problem, at least they can put themselves in the numbers of the staffing in the ward

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Bendix says...
11:10pm Tue 23 Oct 12

You sound like you are one of these lower level employees.

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stuck in the middle with you says...
8:35pm Thu 25 Oct 12

Bendix wrote:
The problem is a function of: 1: appalling leadership 2: ineffective board 3: lousy senior management 4: public sector culture Chipping in a quid on each visit is totally irrelevant. Privatisation is the solution.
Privatisation is not the be all and end all of the solution. Private companies are in it to make a profit and the company directors take a fat cat bonus for screwing you, joe public. Have you looked into private health care and the subscription charges they apply ? Would you like to add a £50 a month charge to everyone who needs to cover possible events for future medical treatment. You only have to look at America and see how private healthcare is failing those with little income and most in need. They are in fact envious of the NHS.
Private companies can charge £1 for a paracetamol and £2 for a bedpan if you need the toilet. So keep your legs crossed and hope we don't go down this road.

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JustBecause says...
9:15am Sat 27 Oct 12

How about charging the people who cause there own problems.

If you get **** and end up fighting, then you get a bill for the cost of your treatment.

Call out an ambulance because you have cut your finger, guess what, you going to pay for it.

A&e is full of people who do not need to be there.

As for Smoking and drinking related treatments this should be paid for via prvate medical insurance.

The system works, it's just that its abused.

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Bendix says...
12:40pm Sat 27 Oct 12

Spoken like a true god fearing Methodist.

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DaveLister says...
1:02pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Whilst I dont want to seem to be supporting the current management at the hospital. I have worked my way up from one of the bottom tier staff to be a senior manager, all done in my own time from my own pocket. I have worked in both the public and private sector and had my own business. There is no difference between public sector and private sectore culture, it just the public sector is more transparent and focused upon.

I agree that poor leadership and and a weak board have had major contirbutions to the situation, but it will take everyone, including those lambasted as fat cat managers to turnround the hospital.

What else is needed is some support from public by not treating A&E as pinic site or a day out and use it for what it is meant for, real emergencies as well as using GP's and pharmacies correctly as first port of call not the last. This would enable most of the svaings to be made without any loss of jobs or changes to services.

We all have a stake in this and we all can help.

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macauley says...
10:38pm Fri 2 Nov 12

i have just spent a week in there.the day staff seem o.k.the food is not bad.the night staff are getting away with murder.yap yap yap,and when a patiant is on sleeping pills they wake you up at nearly midnight to give them out.rant over.

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