Up to 70 Health service jobs in mid-Essex are under threat, it has been claimed.

Health workers' union Unison on Thursday claimed morale among hospital staff is low and there are fears they could leave the NHS altogether.

The warning followed surprise news that a £1.8 million cost-cutting exercise will shut three wards at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, and temporarily close wards at St Peter's Hospital in Maldon and St Michael's Hospital in Braintree.

Harry Lister, regional organiser for Unison, said today: "Some 70 hospital staff are now considered to be at risk, facing the uncertainty of finding alternative jobs or being made redundant.

"Morale could not be any lower and I fear this will cause staff to not only leave the Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, but the NHS altogether."

Mr Lister said the loss of hospital beds would only worsen the waiting lists. He added: "I worry that the chaos over these ward closures will extend into the future of the NHS in mid-Essex."

A spokeswoman for North Essex Health Authority said: "The Trust has said it is going to redeploy staff and re-train them.

"But there is no guarantee everybody will have a definite position within the Trust. To say there are definitely going to be job losses is just coming to a conclusion."

She admitted beds may be empty while the changes are taking place.

She added: "The Trust and primary care groups in mid Essex and social services are all working together to make this plan succeed."

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, which runs the St Peter's Hospital in Maldon and St Michael and William Julian Courtauld in Braintree, said the closures were part of a scheme to reduce its current £3 million debt.

The Trust announced it was shutting down three wards at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford by the end of September and placing the patients concerned in the community hospitals in Maldon and Braintree.

After the patients have been discharged, some wards at the community hospitals may be closed temporarily.

Health bosses have said the wards will have to close because they currently house around 84 people who are ready to be discharged into the community but are awaiting care to be set up by the social services.

Health watchdog Mid Essex Community Health Council is holding a public meeting tonight at 7.30pm at Chelmsford's St John's Hospital, in the social hall on Wood Street.

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