Mental health partnership staff face redundancy

The administrative staff, who are based at Jenner House, were issued with formal notices of redundancies last month after they turned down an opportunity to apply for specially created posts at the new Bath base.

The AWP, who will be saving more than £300,000 by not renewing their lease of their Jenner House office, met with union officials to consult on the plans where it was agreed that one staff member would be moved to the Green Lane site in Devizes.

A spokesman from the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership said: "As the lease on our Jenner House base in Chippenham expires at the end of December, we have taken the decision to relocate our administrative headquarters to one of our existing bases in Bath.

"During a period when all parts of the NHS are required to be cost-aware, we will be able to make a substantial saving of more than £300,000 per year by moving our administrative HQ.

"We have consulted with our staff at Jenner House over a range of issues that may affect them as a result of the move. For some colleagues this may be about finding alternative methods of transport to Bath, or making alternative childcare arrangements to take travelling times into account. We have made every effort to create the easiest transition for all staff.

"Six members of non-clinical staff employed in administrative roles have been directly affected by the closure of Jenner House and formal consultation about their roles took place with staff and union representatives. As part of the consultation, a new Bath-based post was made available but the affected staff did not apply. However, one member of staff was successfully redeployed to our Green Lane site in Devizes.

"The remaining five affected staff were issued with formal notice of redundancy however we are continuing to seek suitable alternative roles for them within AWP."