HOSPITAL bosses have confirmed plans to cut 90 beds and 104 jobs to help plug an £18.4m deficit by April 2008.

Hospital chief Catherine Beardshaw said staff have been told improvements in working styles means the hospital needs fewer beds and operating theatres in the future. The cuts, to be carried out between April and June, will focus on areas such as general surgery, gynaecology and orthopaedic surgery.

Two operating theatres will close at Warrington and a new theatre will open in Halton - directing patients there.

Bosses say no surgical staff will lose their jobs and have confirmed they will try to avoid redundancies with the other 104 posts.