A staff union at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals has lodged a formal complaint about the trust's plans to axe 94 positions which has left staff feeling ‘bewildered and anxious.’ In a staff notice, UNISON outlined its grievances arguing that the consultation has not been adequate and the trust’s plans represent ‘a serious risk to patients’.

It is calling for an independent assessment of the plans.

Its complaint comes shortly after the trusts annual public meeting in which chief executive, Matthew Hopkins, admitted staff were working under difficult conditions.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, September 29, he said: "Our staff are working in a very difficult period of uncertainty.

"However they are reporting feeling motivated and feeling that the organisation is trying to look after them with flexible working options and making sure they are well looked after."

The Taking Stock consultation, which ended in August, proposed a major re-structuring of the hospital’s operations to increase efficiency and decrease costs by cutting bureaucracy and expensive agency staff, potentially resulting in the loss of 94 positions.

However a spokesperson at Epsom Hospital said the number of posts affected is likely to be significantly less.

He said: "By reducing the use of expensive agency staff and by redeploying staff who are at risk to vacant roles as other employees leave or retire, we are aiming to keep the number of staff who may be at risk of redundancy to an absolute minimum.

"More than 1,700 staff fed back their comments and their views have helped shape new and improved plans.

"In recent weeks, the leaders of the local branch of Unison - one of our staff unions - have raised some new concerns and we are working with them to understand and address them."

UNISON refused to comment due to ongoing negotiations with the trust.