AN NHS trust’s so-called transformation plan will affect nearly 650 employees at Lincoln, Boston and Grantham hospitals and put up to 180 jobs at risk, Unite said today.

United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals Trust has started a six-week consultation process with workers at Lincoln, Boston and Grantham hospitals over the proposed plans, which include relocating staff.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The trust’s staff have legitimate concerns that the transformation programme is a euphemism for cost cutting at the expense of staff and patients.

“Any job losses will not be tolerated by Unite. Redundancies would only increase the pressure on overworked staff and negatively impact patient care.”

Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group’s group chief operating officer Caroline Landon said the programme would “significantly improve” its co-ordination of patient care, pointing to its 15 different systems and 40 mailboxes to handle patient bookings.

She declined to comment on the details before the consultation ends.