East London Mental Health Trust proposes £25 million savings as 330 jobs face risk

One of England’s largest mental health providers has unveiled proposals to save almost £25 million, with around 330 jobs at risk as part of a wide-ranging programme of service redesign.

The proposed changes at East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) come as NHS organisations across the country face increasing financial pressure and have been instructed to balance their budgets. According to reports, the savings programme would affect approximately 5% of the Trust’s 6,000-strong workforce and involve changes to at least ten mental health and community services.

Services identified for potential redesign include Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), talking therapies, addiction services, adult mental health crisis support and community mental health programmes, alongside the planned closure of Fothergill Ward at the East Ham Care Centre later this year.

The proposals have prompted concern from trade unions, local politicians and campaign groups, who warn that reducing frontline capacity could increase waiting times and make it more difficult for people to access timely mental health support.

Richard Munn, National Officer for Unite, described the scale of the proposed reductions as “unfathomable and unacceptable”, warning that cutting mental health services could ultimately result in greater costs for both patients and the wider NHS. Unite is also preparing to ballot members over potential industrial action linked to the proposals.

Local Labour MP Apsana Begum has written to the Trust seeking reassurance that appropriate quality and equality impact assessments will be undertaken before any changes are implemented, questioning how services could be reduced on this scale without affecting patient access.

In response, East London NHS Foundation Trust said the plans remain at an early stage and are currently indicative savings proposals. The Trust stated that no changes would be implemented without undergoing formal quality impact assessments and that it remains committed to maintaining safe, high-quality care while living within its available financial resources.

The proposals highlight the growing tension facing NHS mental health providers, who continue to experience rising demand while being expected to deliver significant financial savings. For many healthcare leaders, the challenge will be finding efficiencies without reducing access to services that are already under considerable pressure.

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