Thousands of NHS staff face job cuts across England amid funding crisis

Thousands of NHS workers working in healthcare settings across England will lose their jobs as employers struggle to balance the books, research has found.

Unison said its research estimates that at least 21,000 workers will be laid off in hospitals and other healthcare facilities by 2028.

The union said efforts to meet the Government’s demand for trust budgets to reach break-even from this year had led to workforce reductions in hospital, community and mental health services.

It warned that the cuts were revealed by the trusts in response to Unison’s freedom of information requests and that they come alongside job losses in NHS England and integrated care boards announced last year.

The union said its investigation found trusts were planning cuts to roles including nurses and other clinical staff, while also supporting post-reduction support through freezing vacancies, restructuring and reducing the use of agency workers.

Helga Pile, Unison’s head of health, said: “Cutting thousands of NHS jobs when staff are already stretched to breaking point is the wrong response.

“The public is acutely aware of what a huge problem understaffing is, so they will rightly be alarmed if the situation gets worse.

“Years of underfunding have left many trusts out of pocket and ministers’ financial reset is creating deep uncertainty about services and staffing.

“In an environment of increasing stress and violence, morale is eroding as workers worry whether their jobs are at risk.

“The NHS is being asked to change the way care is delivered with more community services and technology, but none of this is possible without the staff to deliver it.”