Tasmania’s state government has slashed funding to elective surgery and announced 150 health department jobs will be axed in a bid to save $21.6 million.

Nurses have reacted angrily to the announcement amid fears of bed closures and concerns patients’ lives will be jeopardised.

Health Minister Michelle O’Byrne said the cuts will meet the remaining $30 million of the $100 million savings task set in the state budget but she vowed the move would not directly impact on patient care.

Ms O’Byrne said Northern Area Health Service will reduce elective surgery volumes and save $8.5 million, Southern Area Health Service will reduce volumes to save $10.7 million and North West Area Health Service will save $2.4 million.

Under the budget cuts, the Royal Hobart Hospital will be $45 million worse off in its elective surgery budget until 2013-14.

Other spending cuts announced include reconfiguring the Launceston General Hospital’s ward 4D and consolidating its oncology services to save $2.2 million, rostering changes at the hospital’s ICU to save $1.035 million, and reallocation of beds across the North West Area Health Service resulting in an estimated saving of $1.015 million.

Australian Nursing Federation Tasmanian branch secretary Neroli Ellis said the government was yet to unveil the real implications of the budget cuts.

“The reality of this announcement is that one surgical ward will close at Burnie, reducing the bed capacity by 24 beds and up to two wards and two theatre suites will close at the LGH with more closures inevitable at the RHH,” she said.

“We are clearly very concerned about what the implications are for the RHH as the greatest cuts will be made here.