TOP doctors are stepping down from management roles due to a lack of cash to improve services at Southend Hospital, it is claimed.

A number of doctors are giving up their management roles, but will remain as consultants treating patients.

A whistleblower blamed a lack of cash to improve care and budgets ruling over medical advice.

The medic said: “People are going because they are fed up with not being listened to.

“As the hospital leading the merger, we have to control our budget and if we don’t do that by the end of March it’s possible NHS England will block the merger because you can’t have a failing trust taking over another trust.

“We’ve been told there is no point in any plans that need money, even if it improves services because we are not going to get it.

“The £118 million is about building work.

“It’s about capital projects like renovating wards. It’s nothing to do with staffing.”

A transformation project is taking place merging services at Southend, Basildon and Broomfield Hospitals with various specialisms at each.

A budget of £118million is being provided to make the changes but staff shortages and cash shortages are causing concerns.

According to Southend Hospital’s budget report for 2018/19 the hospital’s expenditure is higher than its income.

Liquidity and agency spend is at four, one a scale of one to four with one being good.

Dr Paul Guyler is one of those unhappy and claims he has “no choice” but to resign.

He said: “I am not resigning my job as a consultant.

“I plan to continue working at Southend Hospital, but will concentrate on treating patients with the clinical resources that are made available to me, rather than spending time in development or managerial roles.

“I still remain a consultant committed to looking after patients at Southend Hospital

“ After eight years in the role, I’ll step down from my role as clinical lead for stroke at Southend on 31 March, which will give time for me to help the transition for whoever takes on that role in future.

I will step down as stroke clinical lead with the Mid and South Essex Transformation Partnership in December.

“It is with regret that I feel I have been left with no choice but to resign, but I’m sure that people will understand that I feel it would not be appropriate, at this point in time, for me to discuss in detail the reasons for my decisions.

“I remain committed to endeavouring to ensure that all patients receive the highest standards of care, and will not accept anything less.”

The Save Southend NHS campaign group said it was deeply troubled by the resignations.

A spokesman said: “Our campaign has grave concerns about why Dr Guyler has resigned from posts he was so committed and passionate about, as improving standards of patient care has consistently been his goal.

“ We question why a hugely professionally and publicly respected consultant would step down from his role as both STP lead and clinical lead after eight years of achieving numerous awards and internationally recognised successes for the Southend Stroke team.”

Yvonne Blücher, managing director of Southend Hospital said: “We are clear that patient care always comes first.

“This year we are investing over £20 million in our equipment and buildings to improve the care we provide to patients across Southend. “We are working closely with NHS England and our plans remain on track to merge our three organisations on April 1 2020.”

Dr David Walker, Medical Director of Mid and South Essex University Hospitals Group, said: “I can confirm there has been no ‘mass resignation’ of Southend clinicians and we would not comment on an individual’s decisions to step down from any part of their post.

“The Clinical Lead role is a short tenure role taken on in addition to other clinical duties. Consultants may choose to step down as clinical lead at any time without resigning their substantive consultant post.”