The East London NHS Foundation Trust aims to cut £25 million from its budget, resulting in the loss of 330 jobs and the redesign of at least 10 mental health services.

The East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) plans to cut £25 million from its budget to comply with NHS England requirements for trusts to balance their books. The strategy includes eliminating 330 jobs, representing approximately 5% of the trust's 6,000-strong workforce, and redesigning at least 10 key services, including child and adolescent mental health care and addiction support.

Impact on Services and Facilities

The proposed changes affect services for adults in crisis, talking therapies, and community programs for ethnic minorities and low-income populations. The Fothergill ward, a 20-bed intermediate care unit at the East Ham care centre, has already ceased new referrals and is scheduled to close on September 21. Critics, including the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public, warn that these reductions may force patients to seek private care due to increased wait times.

Union and Political Response

The trade union Unite is preparing to ballot members on potential strike action in response to the cuts and the redundancy of its lead official at the trust, Mark Dunne. Apsana Begum, the Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse, has written to ELFT chief executive Lorraine Sunduza to express concerns regarding the lack of transparency and the absence of a formal risk assessment. The trust stated that it has not conducted an impact assessment because the proposals are currently at an indicative stage.