Three NHS Trusts have been put into financial special measures in an effort to help them meet their savings plans.
According to NHS Improvements, each Trust will receive a package of support designed to achieve rapid financial improvement, while maintaining or improving their quality.
They will also agree a recovery plan with NHS Improvements and get support from – and are held accountable by – a financial improvement director.
Two Trusts that were in the first group to enter financial special measures last year have already improved enough to exit the programme.
The Trusts that will be joining the seven currently in financial special measures are:
- St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
- North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
These trusts haven't kept up with their agreed control totals and are forecasting a combined deficit of £145 million.
Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS Improvement, said: “We know patient demand is high and that these are difficult times for the NHS, which is why it is even more important that NHS Trusts keep a strong grip on their finances. We know that Trusts meeting their financial plans also provide better quality services to patients.
“Financial special measures has already saved the NHS around £100 million in 2016/17. The three Trusts being put into financial special measures are not on course to meet their savings targets and financial special measures will be an effective way of supporting them to significantly improve.”
Responding to the news, Niall Dickson, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents health service organisations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said: “This is yet more evidence that NHS organisations are working flat-out to sustain their services but that finances are incredibly tight. There is a real danger that vital efforts to transform care and make it more sustainable will be derailed because it takes all our effort to maintain current care and balance the books.
“In the Budget the Government showed it is listening to calls for more support for transformation and, crucially, for social care - however financial pressure remain extreme.
“There is now a growing recognition that money alone will not solve the problem and that the health and care system needs to be redesigned, as it is not fit-for-purpose and it is time we all admitted it.”
