ABOUT one third of the management and administrative jobs at Swale Primary Care Trust headquarters are to go, saving more than £500,000, it has been announced.

The trust, which is responsible for most of health spending in the borough, has its main offices at Kent Science Park, off Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne.

Chief executive Marion Dinwoodie, who replaced John Mangan in September, said at a press conference: "The trust is under severe financial pressures and we have to put patient services first.

"We have had to look very hard at the management and administrative teams and the resultant action should save us around £550,000 per year.

"It is a very difficult situation for the staff involved and for the trust as a whole, and with the help of trade unions and staff representatives, we will try to limit the pain as much as possible.

"A consultation period of 30 days has now started when final details are worked out. Around 27 staff could be leaving the trust over the next few months as a result of redundancies.

"The staff affected are being advised on a personal basis and will be supported to find alternative employment either in the NHS or other workplaces."

The trust faced a £12.2million budget deficit when Miss Dunwoodie was appointed but she said this had now fallen to £6.8million. She hoped it would be down to £3.8million by April.

She added: "The management could have been tighter and we have been ambitious in some of our plans."

None of the staff there wished to talk to the Press after the announcement was made. Their union is Unison and spokesman Stephanie Cesana said she was "very disappointed" at the redundancies.

She added: "We will be doing all we can to ensure that any job losses are achieved via natural wastage and by voluntary means. We will be supporting our members at every stage in the process.

"Our overworked members have been doing a good job in difficult circumstances."

The job losses come shortly after the announcement that Little Glovers Ward at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital has closed as part of the cost-cutting exercise.

The trust says the lack of demand for beds there meant they were confident it would not have a negative effect on the community.