A UNION is concerned job cuts at the Countess of Chester Hospital will endanger patient safety.

The Royal College of Nursing says nurses are disproportionately involved in the proposed restructure representing 15 of the affected 47 posts.

Colm Byrne, RCN officer for Chester and Wirral, said: “It’s false economy to cut nursing posts due to the effect on clinical safety. Ultimately, it will cost more in the long run – if patients don’t have a good experience they are more likely to be litigating against the trust.”

Of particular concern is a reduction in the number of matrons, who patrol the wards, from seven to just five.

Mr Byrne explained: “The Trust has performed quite well but the reason they have performed quite well is because of the commitment and dedication of this group of workers. They have made sure everything is ship shape and Bristol fashion.”

“They are overseers and supervisors of care. All of them have responsibilities for infection control and hygiene standards.”

Other nursing posts under threat include staff who assess trainees, those who deal with patient complaints and an emergency coordinator.

The Countess isn’t ruling out compulsory redundancies among the 47 affected staff but hopes most can be reassigned to other roles.

A consultation is taking place over the restructure which will see just two divisions of planned care and urgent care replacing the departments of medicine, surgery and women & children’s.

Countess chief executive Peter Herring has already stated the hospital must save £6m per annum over the next three years as part of £20bn cuts to NHS funding.