Hospital managers face demotion and pay cuts
LDRSMore than 140 hospital staff face being demoted as part of a cost-saving drive.
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Trust, which needs to save about £500,000, plans to move some managerial staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital down to a lower pay grade, with some losing up to £3,600 a year.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that a senior manager, who did not want to be named, had said the move would "destroy morale... and have a worrying impact on the patients and community we serve".
Up to 144 roles have been included in the consultation, but the trust said it only expected "a small number of these to be affected, depending on the outcome of the consultation".
The trust employs about 6,000 people across the Fylde Coast, Lancashire and South Cumbria.
The LDRS said its management source at the hospital had suggested that staff were "shocked, appalled and worried" by the proposals.
Last year, it was revealed that the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals' deficit was about £21m, meaning it would receive national support to help recover its finances.
Maggie Oldham, Chief Executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, said: "The trust has recently carried out an important restructure of our clinical divisions.
"This was a vital first step in making changes to the way we work, including strengthening accountability, improving decision-making, and making sure our services are aligned to the way patients receive their care.
"We are working directly with colleagues who may be affected by the proposed changes and their views will be considered before any decisions are made."
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