HEALTH chiefs are to axe more than 30 posts and nine beds at a renowned heart unit in a bid to slash costs.

The cuts to the cardiac department of Southampton General Hospital, pictured, have angered staff and unions.

They come at a time when a £60m expansion to the unit is being built. The work will almost double the size of the cardiac unit, adding 40 ward beds, 12 more intensive care and high dependency beds, extra cardiac catheter laboratories, another MRI scanner and two extra operating theatres.

Bosses at Southampton Univers-ity Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the city's three hospitals, insist patient care will not be affected by the cuts. They claim they can treat the same number of patients with fewer beds by moving on so-called bed blockers more quickly.

There are unlikely to be any redundancies as some of the posts are already vacant and the trust plans to redeploy other staff to different parts of the hospital.

Nurses and union leaders fear the cuts are just the tip of the iceberg.

A member of nursing staff, who asked not to be named, said: "We're very angry, upset and disappointed. The questions are, why did it get to this stage, why did nobody do anything before now and what effect is this going to have on patient care?

"This is just the start, there will be more job losses to come."

Another senior nurse, who wanted to remain anonymous because she feared speaking out could mean she would lose her job, added: "It's demoralising and devastating. There are an awful lot of people who are very, very upset - not so much because of their jobs but because this is a centre of excellence and a great place to work and it's just going to be wrecked."

Health chiefs are facing a deficit of £19m by next April and have said the cardiac department at Southampton General Hospital, a centre of excellence which treats patients from all over the country, is one of the worst offenders for not sticking to budget.

A spokesman for the trust said: "We are just starting formal consultation with staff about a number of proposed changes to cardiac services.

"Some of these reflect new ways of working so the cardiac unit can treat the same number of patients using fewer beds.

"It's partly about moving people on faster, discharging people earlier so that beds are free and faster access to diagnostic tests so people don't stay unnecessarily in a bed waiting for tests.

"We will also get greater efficiency by having beds in one place rather than more beds in different places - five of the beds going are trolley beds.

"We are confident that most if not all of the staff affected can be offered redeployment to jobs elsewhere in the cardiac unit or trust.''

Amanda Weldon, of public services union Unison, said: "We're very disappointed, it's abysmal that we're again facing axed jobs and axed beds and ultimately it's the patients that will suffer.

"I'm gutted. The cardiac unit is very, good and has very good staff. We can't and won't condone this but ultimately the health authority in this area has to claw back millions of pounds."

The trust has been told it must shed more than five per cent of its staff - 300 posts - over the next 12 months but says most of these will come from natural wastage from high turnover.

The expanded cardiac unit will also house a research institute funded by charity Wessex Heartbeat.

Paul Barlow, chief executive of the charity, said: "It is a bit early to understand what the reorganisation will mean. Southampton is a centre of excellence for cardiac care and we hope everything is done to try and make sure it remains one both in this country and internationally. It has an enviable reputation and I hope that will not suffer."