Managers want to see less spending on bank and agency staff

Plans at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust include a reduction in the use of agency nurses at Crawley and Redhill hospitals, saving �13m.

Interim chief executive Anthony McKeevor said performance had improved but there was "much still to be done".

He said savings would also come from redeploying staff according to greatest patient need and clinical priority.

Mr McKeevor, who has been working at the trust for three months, said changes included recruiting a new permanent, management team including a new chief executive.

'Urgent treatment guarantee'

"Our deficit in the last financial year was just under �30m," he said.

"The outlook for the current financial year is an even bigger shortfall, unless we do something to address the underlying causes."

He said the trust's "three overarching aims" were to guarantee emergency and clinically urgent treatment for patients who need it, rebuilt public confidence in the trust, and achieve financial balance.

He said there would be less post-treatment follow-up in outpatient departments.

But he said the trust was hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies.

"Our job is to protect those patients who are most reliant on this trust and the service it provides," he said.

The savings will be discussed at a board meeting on Friday.