A hospital trust revealed it may have to axe further staff as it looks to save an estimated £25m by next year.

Matthew Hopkins, chief executive of Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, revealed the extent of savings he predicted would be needed in 2011-12.

The savings dwarf the £15m needed to be cut this financial year to deliver a balanced budget, and saw 30 job losses announced at the trust.

But Mr Hopkins said while he could not rule out job further losses, he was confident the savings could be met without a loss of frontline service to patients.

He said: “We won't be salami slicing services but will be looking at transforming them by making quality improvements that are more cost effective and efficient.”

But Geoff Martin, chair of campaign group London Health Emergency, said: "The news of a further £25 million cuts is a massive bombshell for health care in this area and combined with the confirmation that no cast-iron assurances can be given on the future of key services it sends out a warning signal that nothing is safe."

Mr Hopkins would not speculate on what or how many jobs could go, but accepted staff were the trust's most expensive “asset.”

He said: ““No chief executive in the country can guarantee there won't be changes to their organisation.”

He said the axe was likely to fall on agency and temporary staff.

Of the 30 managerial and administrative posts removed this year, the majority of people who lost their jobs were redeployed within the trust.

Plans to treat more patients in the community, reduce the number of missed appointments, that cost the trust £8m a year, and better procurement of drugs and medical equipment were among how he suggested the savings would be made. p>

He said he was confident of meeting the savings, which would continue to free up the £219m Government funding to revamp the hospital.

But he could not confirm any services that would be provided in the future at Epsom and St Helier hospitals because of ongoing changes to the NHS, that will see the trust split for the two hospitals to seek foundation status and GP Consortia put in charge of healthcare budgets.

But he said the size of the hospitals would not be reduced.