A Brighton hospital boss will spell out tough financial measures to doctors, nurses and support staff next week.
They have been told to expect tough news four weeks after being urged to help tackle a potential £19 million overspend.
Duncan Selbie, who runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital, has written to his staff saying that the overpending hasn’t been curbed and savings had to be made.
Mr Selbie, chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said that the pay bill had to be cut by £1 million a month.
He said: “Unsurprisingly, given the time it takes for action to have effect, September was not much better than the first five months of the year.
“Over the coming six months we need the savings to come through and progress so far is patchy.”
He added: “All of this is about ensuring our long-term income and growth by taking short-term action that neither harms this nor compromises the quality and safety of care we provide today.
“I promised tough times ahead, that this was nonetheless doable and that we had much to look forward to, and all of this remains true.”