The NHS has put three more trusts into financial special measures after they forecasted a combined deficit of £145m.
The three trusts set to receive a package of support from NHS Improvement are:
The NHS has put three more trusts into financial special measures after they forecasted a combined deficit of £145m.
The three trusts set to receive a package of support from NHS Improvement are:
- St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
- Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust; and
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust.
St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is facing a £71m, was also put in special measures by the CQC in June last year after getting a CQC rating of Inadequate.
As part of the support package, each trust agrees a recovery plan with NHS Improvement, which is designed to help trusts improve their finances quickly while maintaining or improving their quality.
While in special measures, the trusts are held accountable by a Financial Improvement Director appointed by NHS Improvement.
There are currently seven trusts in special measures after two that entered the programme last year improved enough to exit the programme.
The special measures programme has saved the NHS around £100 million since it was introduced last July.
Sir David Henshaw, interim chair at St George’s, said the trust is ‘tackling the long-standing and systemic problems’ it faces.
He added: ‘We have already reduced the use of agency staff, and have introduced better coding systems to ensure we bill properly for activity undertaken – a systemic problem at the Trust for a number of years.’
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.
He added: ‘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.’
