AROUND 560 frontline jobs at the London Ambulance Service (LAS) are to be axed over the next five years, it has been announced.
The organisation says it must save £53million over the period because its funding from central Government is not increasing, despite rising demand and increased costs.
A further 330 management and other support service jobs will also go.
However LAS believes that the majority of loses should come from natural wastage - around 300 people resign from its workforce every year.
Chief executive Peter Bradley said: “Unfortunately we are not immune to the financial pressures facing the NHS.
"This means all areas of our business will face closer scrutiny as we look for ways to make savings while improving the care we give to patients.
"But with nearly 80 per cent of our budget spent on staff costs it would be impossible to make the savings required without removing posts.
“We are confident that the large majority of posts can be reduced by not filling vacancies".
He added: "We are committed to managing these reductions so that the impact on staff is minimised and at the same time creating an improved and efficient service for patients.”
A spokeswoman added: "Of a total workforce of nearly 5,000 staff, the service expects to reduce the number of frontline posts – those responsible for direct patient care - by 560.
"A further 330 posts will be removed from management and support services.
"Compulsory redundancies will be avoided wherever possible."
The service, which has an annual budget of £281million, receives around 1.5million emergency calls every year.
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