Almost 500 jobs are set to be cut at two hospital trusts in Suffolk after plans were agreed by a health care board.
Cabinet papers put before board members of the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (SNEE ICB) on Wednesday evening state "acute productivity has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels and is recovering at different rates across providers".
The report adds that this is "underpinned by greater growth in staff costs than activity outputs."
The board agreed to cut 468 jobs across the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which operates Ipswich Hospital.
A total of 263 full-time equivalent roles will be affected at ESNEFT, while 205 posts will under go changes at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
"Staffing isn't necessarily a proxy for performance or productivity. It is just for people to be aware of that context when we are describing a reduction in workforce."
UNISON Eastern head of health Caroline Hennessy believes the cuts "will make it harder for remaining staff to properly care for patients."
She said: “Slashing staff numbers is exactly the opposite of what the NHS needs right now.
“Suffolk NHS workers are already going flat out to care for patients, reduce waiting lists and meet government targets. They’re overworked and overstretched as it is.
“These cuts will make it harder for remaining staff to properly care for patients. The health service needs real investment, not more belt-tightening.”
The papers for the meeting show that at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, there will be a reduction of 4% of the workforce.
It currently employs 4,964 staff and it is working to reduce this to 4,759 by March 2026.
In the report, it is outlined that there would be a reduction in banking staff of 20 full-time equivalent roles and six agency jobs would be lost.
According to the papers, the trust, which runs West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, has "virtually eliminated agency staff utilisation in 2024/25."
A total of 179 full-time equivalent workers on permanent, fixed-term contracts and substantive staff will be involved in the changes.
Jeremy Over, executive director of workforce and communications for the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The trust has worked closely with the ICB to develop a financial plan to balance the books for the healthcare system.
"It outlines the scale of savings needed to become sustainable – both in the coming year and more long term – while still providing high quality care for our patients.
“Together, we’re taking difficult but necessary decisions to manage our budgets and deliver a level of productivity that matches our resources.
"Reducing the number of temporary and permanent staff we employ is one of the ways we’ll achieve this, but every part of the trust is contributing to make us fit for the future.”
At ESNEFT, the cuts equate to 2% of the workforce. Across the trust there are 12,932 members of staff.
There will be a reduction in banking staff of 142 full-time equivalent roles, while 71 agency staff will be affected.
Fifty full-time equivalent workers on permanent or fixed-term contracts, as well as substantive staff, are at risk at the trust, which also runs Colchester Hospital.
Changes to the staffing numbers equate to 449 full-time equivalent roles.
Figures provided by the trust show 393 jobs will be transferred from ESNEFT to its external partner Sodexo.
"Other, smaller changes in staffing include increases in apprenticeships, the offer of substantive employment opportunities for students currently training at ESNEFT and recognition of known vacancies in harder to recruit roles," a statement said.
"As a result of all of these changes, including the transfer of some staff to our partner organisation, we have a net decrease of 229 staff in post."
A spokesperson for the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board said on Thursday: "Last night the ICB board approved the NHS financial and workforce for Suffolk and north east Essex for 2025/26.
"This plan was created by the ICB and its local NHS partners.
“Its implementation will support the meeting of the majority of the national performance requirements within the budget we have been allocated.”
It was also agreed to boost the workforce at the region's ambulance trust, the East of England Ambulance Service, creating 114 full-time equivalent jobs.
"The growth is required to meet national ambulance targets e.g. call handling and category 2 response times," board papers said.
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