NHS campaigners reacted with shock yesterday after a survey revealed most health chiefs are planning staff lay-offs to balance the books — as waiting lists remain at near-record highs.

The NHS Confederation poll found 67 per cent of NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards leaders are planning to cut clinical staff to meet savings targets.

Nine in 10 said they would reduce non-clinical headcounts, as experts warned strict financial targets were forcing services to take “drastic” short-term measures.

Unison union head of health Helga Pile said: “No part of the NHS should be cutting staff when what’s really needed is for many thousands of vacancies to be filled. False economies like these are foolhardy in the extreme.

“Securing a decent pay deal after the election and stabilising the workforce are key to the future of the NHS.”

The survey also found that in primary care, 74 per cent of leaders said they will have to cut clinical staff, rising to 79 per cent for non-clinical staff.

NHS Confederation chief Matthew Taylor said an additional £2.5 billion for the NHS in 2024/25, announced in the Spring Budget, will be “at best flat in real terms against a backdrop of significant deficits and universal pressures.”

Keep Our NHS Public campaign co-chair Dr John Puntis added: “Given the massive and growing waiting list with some patients dying before they even get treatment, it is quite simply staggering to see trusts now driven to cut staff numbers in order to meet stringent government financial targets.

“This can only make things worse and gives the lie to spurious claims of record funding.

“It is clear that those politicians who talk about current policy securing the future of the NHS are taking the electorate for fools.”