NHS is forced to make £306m cuts this year

Concerns over 'cost-shunt onto residents'

- Phil Corrigan

NHS bosses in Staffordshire need to save £306 million this year - but say they are 'absolutely committed' to maintaining service quality.

Health service organisations have come up with money-saving schemes after being told by NHS England to make the cuts to their 2025/26 operational budgets.

Plans include reviewing people's ongoing care to ensure it is not 'overly restrictive', reducing reliance on agency staff and 'rationalising' the NHS estate. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions NHS services, needs to make £170 million of savings, while University Hospitals of North Midlands has to save £75 million.