Our hospitals have been facing huge financial pressure for some time, so the news they must cut another £160m over the next four years comes as no surprise.

However, that will not stop patients and staff worrying about their impact.

It is vital the trust protects frontline services and explores every avenue before resorting to job losses.

And cutting work to solve ongoing problems such as bed-blocking will be a false economy in the long term.

But the trust has already made £52m of savings in the last year and we have faith that chief executive Sir Jonathan Michael and his team can continue to make the best of what is a very difficult situation.

They are being very open and honest about the decisions they face and appear willing to listen to both the concerns of the public and of their own staff.

We are under no illusion that many of us will find some of those decisions unpalatable.

But the bottom line is the savings must be made.

Sir Jonathan and his team will not get everyone to agree with the actions they eventually take, but by remaining open and honest everyone will at least understand the reasons for them.