THE uncertainty over the future of Whipps Cross University Hospital Trust has meant it could save millions in redundancy pay.

Director of human resources, David Grantham, told the trust board meeting on Friday that staff insecurity over their hospital's future had led to many leaving voluntarily, cutting the number of people which the trust may have to make redundant as part of its turnaround plans.

Mr Grantham said that it originally planned to pay off the equivalent of 220 full-time posts, known as whole time equivalents (WTE), but that so many people had left that that number was now it was looking at 115 WTE.

This mean the redundancy bill Whipps is looking at now has reduced from £5.6m to £3.6m.

"It may even be less than that," Mr Grantham added.

"That is good news because a lesser number of people will be forced to leave."

Mr Grantham also said more staff leaving meant the trust could spend less on agency staff, as nurses employed by the trust for example could be moved around different wards according to demand.

But staff side joint chairwoman of the union, Unison, Charlotte Monro, urged the board to decide once and for all who would go.

She said: "I'm aware of people who have been kept in limbo, they don't know what's going to happen to them day to day.

"The trust has an moral responsibility to these people who they have told no longer have jobs (to say) we'll pay you and let you go."Mr Grantham said that the trust could not make people redundant until it was absolutely sure it had to. "We are working on it as quickly as we can," he added.