Union warns against job losses in Lincolnshire under new patient service hub plans
The Trust has launched a six-week consultation with staff based at Lincoln, Boston, and Grantham hospitals
Last updated 13th Nov 2025
A major transformation programme proposed by United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) has sparked concerns over potential job losses, with Unite the Union warning that redundancies must not form part of the plans.
Unite, the UK’s leading union, said it understands the proposals could affect around 650 employees across both medical and non-medical roles, with approximately 180 jobs reportedly at risk.
The Trust has launched a six-week consultation with staff based at Lincoln, Boston, and Grantham hospitals, as part of a wider reorganisation which includes staff relocations and the potential introduction of a new Patient Service Hub.
"legitimate concerns"
Unite’s General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “The trust’s staff have legitimate concerns that the transformation programme is a euphemism for cost cutting at the expense of staff and patients.
“Any job losses will not be tolerated by Unite. Redundancies would only increase the pressure on overworked staff and negatively impact patient care.”
Unite regional officer, Garry Guye, added: “Unite will be scrutinising the proposals in detail and offering maximum support to our members.
“Unite will not accept staff being pushed out of their jobs by being told they have to travel unfeasible distances every day to go to work.”
Petition launched by long-serving employee
The proposed changes have also prompted the launch of a petition by a long-serving ULHT employee who has worked at the Trust for 26 years. The petition raises serious concerns about the introduction of the Patient Service Hub, which it claims could lead to significant staff displacement and the replacement of human roles with artificial intelligence systems.
In the petition, the employee writes:
“The plan to replace staff with artificial intelligence in the Patient Service Hub is alarming. While technology can undoubtedly enhance healthcare, its replacement of human roles on such a large scale is unjustifiable.”
The petition argues that replacing staff with AI could increase workloads for remaining employees, reduce service quality, and compromise patient safety. It calls on the Trust to explore alternative cost-saving measures that do not involve job cuts, such as improving workflow efficiency and investing in staff training.
Calls for a human-centred approach
Unite and petitioners are both urging ULHT to adopt a human-centred approach to its transformation efforts, one that safeguards the jobs of dedicated NHS workers and prioritises patient safety and compassion over automation and financial targets.
The petition concludes with a call for public support, urging the Trust’s leadership to halt plans for the Patient Service Hub and to “continue valuing the champions of patient care — the dedicated staff who ensure quality and safety through their work every day.”
In response Caroline Landon, Group Chief Operating Officer at Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group, said: “We have launched a transformation programme that will significantly improve how we coordinate patient care.
"Our patients told us they are frustrated by the outdated technology currently used to manage patient appointments and timeliness of communications and letters they receive about their care.
"For example, we rely on 15 different systems and 40 mailboxes to handle patient bookings. Three-quarters of calls to the Outpatient Appointment Service are simply to check, rebook or cancel appointments — tasks that most people would expect to complete online or via an automated system nowadays.
“That’s why we are introducing the Patient Service Hub, which will bring together and modernise outpatient and inpatient administrative services. By using digital tools, we aim to make processes simpler and more consistent.
“At this stage, this remains a proposal.
"We are consulting and engaging with the colleagues who will be directly affected by the change, to gather their views and involve them in co-designing the new service. As it is still a proposal, it would be inappropriate to comment on the details until we have heard from staff and considered their feedback.”