Walnutree and St Leonard's Hospital Staff and Services Transfer to PCT

Staff and the majority of services at Walnuttree and St Leonard's hospitals in Sudbury and the sites will today (April 1) transfer from West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust to Suffolk West Primary Care Trust.

The transfer follows a three-month consultation period with staff and marks the next step taken in creation of new health services for Sudbury.

The move will enable the PCT, which has been responsible for leading the project to build the town's new health and social care campus since April last year, to continue to involve staff in planning the new facilities and community services.

There are 172 members of staff working in the two hospitals, including nurses, domestics, porters, catering, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, Pathology, Radiology, stores, administration and medical.

There will be Service Level Agreements with the PCT to cover services that will continue to be provided by the West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust which include dietetics, pharmacy, medical cover, consultant outpatient clinics, phlebotomy and X-Ray. Four members of staff will continue to be employed by West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust ­ a phlebotomist, two radiographers and one medical doctor.

The transfer has taken place under the Transfer of Undertaking Protection of Employment (TUPE). This means that if an organisation transfers a service to another organisation and that service remains relatively unchanged, then when the staff transfer they can keep the same *terms and conditions of employment.

Chris Bown, Chief Executive of West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust, said: "On behalf of the Trust Board I would like to thank all the staff for their professional approach to the transfer and for the loyalty and commitment they have given to our hospitals.

"The West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust remains committed in its support for the new model of care for health services in Sudbury. We will work with Suffolk West PCT in delivering the best care for the people of Sudbury and the surrounding villages."

Tony Ranzetta, Chief Executive of Suffolk West Primary Care Trust, said: "Today marks a further step in the development of new health services for the people of Sudbury.

"Last week the Strategic Health Authority approved our business case for the development of a new health and social care centre for Sudbury.

"This week the transfer of staff and services in Sudbury into the care of Suffolk West PCT means that we can put those plans into action. This is a very exciting stage in the development of services for Sudbury."