Worsening health service finances

The regulator Monitor will shortly be releasing details of 147 ‘elite’ NHS foundation trusts in England, including hospitals, ambulance services and mental health services. The findings are expected to say that the trusts are running up an overall deficit for the first time, raising the concern that performance levels may drop, with the effect being felt by patients.

These findings come after it has been confirmed that of the non-foundation trusts, 33 out of 65 have gone into the red. In the first four months of the financial year, the trusts have built up £300m of deficit, a figure that is expected to rise to £409m by the end of the year.

However, the most questions are likely to be raised out of the performance of foundation trusts, which are meant to be high performing and therefore given more freedom, not having to balance their books each year.

This time last year they were £27m in surplus.

A spokesman from the Department of Health stated that the NHS budget, which currently stands at more than £100bn for the year, had been protected by this parliament.

He added “We understand some trusts are facing challenges because of increasing demand, but they must have a tight financial grip and ensure they live within their means.

“Delivering high quality services and balancing the books must go hand in hand and we expect trusts to deliver this during the course of the financial year.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), News lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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