Exclusive The RCGP has revealed that it will make at least eight staff redundant under its cost-cutting drive, and that the college’s financial situation remains ‘under review’ as it begins to make mortgage repayments on its new headquarters in 30 Euston Square.
The college will also consult staff about making a further eight posts redundant, while a recruitment freeze will continue until further notice.
RCGP chief executive Neil Hunt said that ‘unexpected pressures’ on its budget meant it had to restructure its finances to reduce costs and admitted for the first time that the start of mortgage repayments on its new headquarters was a factor in the decision to restructure its finances.
He also said that income projections would ‘inevitably fluctuate’ and that the college had been badly affected by the current economic climate.
Pulse revealed last month that the college was planning to save £620,000 a year, by merging some college functions and was consulting on making several senior staff redundant. The RCGP announced last week it had struck a deal to rent out a section of its new headquarters in central London to the College of Social Work.
The first eight redundancies amount to 3% of the RCGP’s 271 staff, and the college said it will also create a further four posts as part of the restructure.
Among other decisions to be announced today, the college said that:
- the Education, Quality and Research directorate will close and a new directorate of Postgraduate Training and Standards will be created
- all CPD activities will be moved into the Development and Enterprises directorate
- there will be a review of the college’s ICT and digital delivery
- the current recruitment freeze will continue until early July but will be kept under review.
In a statement released to Pulse, the college said: ‘The RCGP regrets having to make the posts of any of its staff redundant and thanks all of those staff affected by the decisions, announced today, for their crucial work during their time with the organisation.’
RCGP chief executive Neil Hunt said: ‘The decisions confirmed today will ensure that we significantly reduce our costs and also help us ensure that the college is prepared for the new era that we and our members face.
‘I regret the fact that we are making the posts of a number of our valued colleagues redundant and I wish to thank them for all their excellent work.
‘I would hope that we are not put in a situation where we have to make redundancies of this scale due to unexpected pressures on our budget again.
‘However, we will have to keep the situation under review as going forward we will need to continue to make our mortgage repayments on 30 Euston Square, income projections will inevitably fluctuate and the economy may continue to be troubled.’
