The march started from the Hartshill hospital

The cuts at the city's University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust aim to reduce debts of �15m.

About 5,000 Uniformed workers, union members and residents took part in the protest, according to organisers.

They aim to persuade bosses and members of the public it is not necessary to axe jobs. Last week the hospital closed its first beds as part of the cuts.

More than 4,000 job losses have been announced at hospitals across England over the past few weeks.

The community is 100% behind us Jim Cessford, organiser

NHS Save Our Staff Rally and March organiser Jim Cessford said he was confident the demonstration would help build momentum for a national campaign.

"There were about 5,000 people at the rally. People were cheering us into the city centre, clapping us on.

"The whole city centre came alive in support of us today. Every car that came past us tooted their horn. The community is 100% behind us."

Compulsory job cuts

Health union Unison has said the cuts are bound to have an effect on patient care while the Royal College of Nursing has said morale in the profession is "plummeting".

Ms Hewitt, who has been under fire over the widespread cuts, recently met staff and trade unions during a visit to the Staffordshire hospital.

She has previously criticised the trust for having too many staff and admitting patients unnecessarily.

Posts going are expected to include 15 consultants, 370 nurses and 200 nursing assistants. Job losses are set to be fought strongly by the trade unions.

The redundancies will mean one-in-seven jobs will go with three-quarters of them likely to be compulsory.