A doctor at a west London hospital has spoken of her disgust at government plans to cut scores of front-line medics at Imperial NHS Trust.

A Freedom of Information Act request has revealed Imperial – which runs Charing Cross, Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospitals in Fulham and Hammersmith and St Mary's Hospital in Westminster – will axe 265 nurses and 49 doctors over the next five years.

Imperial staff had no idea of the proposals until approached by the Chronicle and one doctor, who didn't want to be named, expressed her shock and anger at the news.

She said: "I wasn't aware of this. This is just inappropriate, it's wrong. It would be more appropriate to cut administrative or management jobs, not those of front-line staff.

"Even in a department with a large number of nurses, cutting just one or two can have a significant impact.

"Cuts over five years in four hospitals is bound to affect a lot of people."

Ninety-four-year-old East Acton resident Phyllis Perlin has used both Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals and is worried about the effects the cuts will have on her future well-being.

She said: "The nurses at both the hospitals work brilliantly and they couldn't have done more for me when I've had to go in.

"But if there are cuts, they won't be able to be as attentive. I have lived through cuts in the past and know what happens – I don't agree with them under any circumstance.

"There must be another way. The front-line are doing their best and don't deserve this."

Imperial has refused to comment at all on the plans, revealing it has been told by NHS London to keep silent during purdah (the election countdown).

Only last week health secretary Andy Burnham said: "Our savings proposals are not contingent upon redundancies."

But figures, based on responses from 46 out of a possible 169 trusts, reveal at least 650 doctors and 2,000 nurses will be culled nationally.