Shropshire hospitals action to cut £17.2m deficit

It comes as hospitals across the country were urged to save money.

Trusts across the NHS were asked to take further action to address what has been described as "almost unprecedented financial challenges".

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) – which controls the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford – is currently forecasting a deficit of £17.2 million for 2015/2016.

Along with other NHS trusts across the country, it has now been asked by the Trust Development Authority to work to a stretch target, a revised forecast deficit of £15.2million

The trust said it would be considering its response to this building on discussions it held at a board meeting last week.

Cost-cutting measures will include reducing the costs of agency staff and the number of patients in hospitals that were "medically fit".

Adrian Osborne, communications director at SaTH, said: "At the board meeting we focused on the need for support to move forward with our plans for overseas recruitment, along with the other steps we are taking to reduce the spend on agency nurses, and working together as a whole health system to ensure we have robust plans in place for winter, particularly in respect of reducing the number of patients in our hospitals who are medically fit for discharge.

"Any additional actions above our current plan will be focused on protecting frontline services, and we will continue to ensure a focus on the safety and experience of our patients."

Earlier this week, the chief executive of regulator Monitor, David Bennett, asked all foundation trusts to review their funding plans, including ensuring vacancies are filled only where essential.

He said the current plans were "quite simply unaffordable."

In a similar letter sent to NHS trusts including SaTH, the Trust Development Authority drew upon similar concerns.