Hill Dickinson has laid off seven members of staff in its health practice, including two fee earners and five secretaries.

The firm cited NHS spending cuts as the reason for the cuts, which have seen a legal director, an assistant solicitor and a secretary made redundant in Manchester and four secretaries let go in Liverpool.

Hill Dickinson NHS litigation authority head Richard Watson said in a statement: "As with all businesses, ours is adapting to reflect policy changes as well as client demands and we have to ensure that our team has the appropriate skills required to deliver excellent service as well as value for money."

Watson added that the health team had marginally increased its overall numbers due to the appointment of a number of new legal assistants, five of who are based in Liverpool and one in Manchester.

The news follows the announcement last week (27 September) that Hill Dickinson was among a raft of firms including to have won a role on a new legal services panel for healthcare purchaser HealthTrust Europe.

The firm was been appointed alongside Berrymans Lace Mawer, Mills & Reeve, Browne Jacobson, Capsticks, Bevan Brittan, Hempsons, Ward Hadaway and Birmingham City Council to its general law panel.

A separate panel was formed for healthcare work, which also included Hill Dickinson, alongside Berrymans, Mills & Reeve, Browne Jacobson, Capsticks, Kennedys, Hempsons, Ward Hadaway, Bevan Brittan and RadcliffesLeBrasseur.