Staffing cuts ahead for mental health services in Wirral (From Wirral Globe)

Staffing cuts ahead for mental health services in Wirral

1:23pm Wednesday 5th September 2012 in News

PLANS are being made to redesign mental health care in Wirral as managers are forced to cut costs.

An NHS report says that if approved, the proposed changes will have a “significant impact” on the way local mental health services are operated in future.

The review is part of the Government’s “efficiency savings” drive and means Cheshire and Wirral NHS Trust has to slash more than £13m of costs over the next three years.

The scale of the proposed changes is such staff employed within the service will be reduced and new ways of working introduced.

Measures will be taken to reduce the need for any compulsory staff redundancies.

The issue is due to be discussed by Wirral councillors at a scrutiny committee meeting on Monday evening.

Discussions with affected staff will continue into December and a series of public consultations will be held.

The consultation meeting for Wirral will be on Wednesday, November 7, at 10.30am, at the Lauries Centre in Claughton Road, Birkenhead.