A DORSET health trust has slimmed down its senior management team in a bid to save money.

Eight posts in Dorset HealthCare’s mental health directorate have disappeared and three new associate director posts created.

The Echo understands that the reduction was achieved mainly through natural wastage.

James Barton, director of the trust’s mental health service, said: “The trust has reviewed its mental health directorate senior management structure in consultation with staff.

“This has resulted in the reduction of eight posts and the creation of three new associate director posts filled by existing staff members.

“This process is part of a wider restructuring to make significant cost savings at a management level.”

In October, the Echo reported that the trust, which runs mental health and community healthcare for the whole county, was planning to invite around 140 of its staff at King’s Park Hospital in Bournemouth and Alderney Hospital in Poole to apply for new jobs in a shake-up of services for older people with dementia.

The trust has said that redundancies are unlikely as there would be more vacancies than employees.

Dorset HealthCare serves a population of almost 700,000 across the county.