CASH-STRAPPED Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust, which runs Rowley Regis Hospital, is axing 450 jobs.

The trust, which employs 7,500 people, told staff a consultation will start in July to shed 250 full-time roles and another 200 temporary posts.

Raffaela Goodby, director of organisational development, said the move will come as "no surprise."

She said: "Like all NHS organisations, we need to deliver safe care within a budget.

"We have been explicit for several years with our staff, trade union partners, local taxpayers and NHS commissioners, that this will involve reducing the amount we spend on our pay costs, whilst increasing and protecting staff training spend.

"This July, we will take the latest step in making those changes as we consult on the redeployment of staff, and changes to roles, across our organisation."

She added: "We expect those changes to affect around 250 existing staff, and a further 200 roles presently covered by temporary staff. "The consultation will examine additional and alternative ideas, before we move forward with changes this autumn."

The trust has a £430 million annual budget to run Sandwell Hospital, City Hospital and Rowley Regis Hospital and provides services for over a half a million people.

The trust has also spent years preparing to take control of the £588 million Midland Metropolitan Hospital in Smethwick, which is due to open in 2018.

Mrs Goodby added: "In 2014 and 2015 we have delivered our promises to redeploy staff internally into new roles, which our new care model locally will need in the years ahead - with greater use of technology, and more care in local communities. "We expect to succeed again with staff redeployment and will work closely with everyone involved. "These are difficult issues for staff and teams and we will spend the time needed to proceed safely and with sensitivity to individual circumstances."

The Unite union has blasted the trust's plans to axe so many jobs.

Regional officer Frank Keogh said: “At a time when the population is growing and the demand for new treatments rising, we strongly deplore the announcement that up to 450 jobs are under threat at the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.

“This is yet another depressing example of this Government’s underfunding of the NHS and the buck for this dismal state of affairs stops with the health secretary Jeremy Hunt whose stewardship of the NHS since 2012 has been little short of disastrous.

He added: “The funding crisis facing the NHS in Birmingham is not unique and many other trusts across England are feeling the malign effects of the continuing financial strait-jacket.

“Unite will work with the trust’s management at this challenging time to mitigate any job losses and to ensure that patient safety is not compromised in any way.

"We will continue to make the case for a properly funded health service free at the point of delivery for all those in need.”