DOZENS of employees at a private hospital in York have been told their jobs could be at risk, The Press can reveal.

Nuffield Health York Hospital chiefs today said they needed to reduce the number of hours worked there by about 300 per week because fewer people were seeking private health care.

The Press understands hospital bosses have sent a letter to the 50 or so office workers employed at the Haxby Road site, telling them they hoped to be able to achieve the reduction by voluntary means.

Hospital bosses said only office staff would be affected by the cut.

A hospital spokeswoman said it was hoping to avoid redundancies. “What they’re really trying to do is better match the staffing levels and skills mix with the local market, which is changing all the time – (patient) volumes are down from previously. Like all businesses, times are difficult at present and we’re just looking to make sure we’re in the best position going forward.

“They’re very much hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies or any kind of redundancy. It could be that enough people want to do job-sharing, or just reduce their hours, or take a sabbatical, or take unpaid leave.”

She said the hospital was consulting with the employees about the reduction, which bosses want to introduce next month. “Genuinely they’re looking for ideas from the staff about how these efficiencies can be made,” she said. She revealed that, despite the fall in business, the hospital was recruiting clinical staff.

The letter, written by Mark Fountain, general manager at the hospital, says: “The private health care market is experiencing significant pressures, much the same as other business.

“This is further impacted by the efficiency improvements made by the NHS towards 18-week targets.

“The high levels of activity experienced in the second half of 2008 will not continue in 2009 and we cannot maintain an infrastructure that is too big for our business. So far we have been successful in reducing variable personnel costs by drastically reducing the requirement for agency staff, overtime working and bank workers.”