A UNION fears more job cuts at a debt-ridden hospital as health chiefs brace themselves to make further savings of £6.4m.

Bosses at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, are already in crunch talks to thrash out plans to make the savings for the next financial year.

It comes on top of a rigorous £11.2m savings exercise this year which has seen 153 posts frozen or lost and 29 staff lose their jobs.

The chairman of the hospital's trust board, Colin Campbell, says the hospital faces an "extraordinarily hard" financial year ahead.

He says it is too early to say whether job cuts may be included in next year's savings programme but did not rule the measure out.

The news has prompted fears among unions the hospital will buckle under financial pressure and slash more jobs.

Unison branch secretary Onay Kasab said: "£6.4m is a lot of money to save and it is clear something has to give.

"I wouldn't be surprised if more job cuts are coming our way."

He added: "We need to see the details of this latest recovery plan.

"The problem for Queen Elizabeth Hospital is it is run under the Government's Private Finance Initiative scheme.

"This means the extra money the Labour Government has thrown into the NHS is not being realised in services, but in the pockets of big businesses."

Mr Campbell says the hospital plans to lay its cards on the table by January.

This is when a series of new packages and initiatives to make the £6.4m worth of savings will be announced.

He said: "Making £11m worth of savings this year was difficult enough, but the next financial year is going to be an extraordinarily hard one.

"Difficult times lie ahead, with challenging decisions to be made.

"It's too early to say if job cuts are on the cards."

He added: "The problem is, if we get rid of staff we lose out on the chance to make income by offering services, and redundancy payouts are more pricey for us since October.

"We need to look at ways to increase our income, not lose it."

A hospital spokesman said: "Despite having already made a number of very difficult decisions we recognise we face another extremely challenging year."