FIFTY hospital management jobs are to go at the county's flagship hospital as part of a raft of cuts to save money.

The job losses - representing a fifth of the 250 management posts at Worcestershire Royal - will save some £1.7 million a year.

No front-line jobs will be lost and patients will not be affected by the shake-up which is now under way, says the trust.

Some of the axed posts are vacant but redundancies are likely.

The trust is aiming to save a total of £9 million in the year ahead. The savings highlighted include:

Agency nurse costs (£1.5m) - almost all agency nurses will be replaced by the end of April.

Reduce use of private sector facilities (£1.5m).

Improve efficiency, such as allowing patients to bring prescribed medicines from home rather than replacing them (£4.3m).

Management costs (£1.7m).