Shropshire Star

Shropshire NHS crisis deepens over £19 million deficit

The finances of the group that controls NHS spending in Shropshire have slipped further into the red.

Published

Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group's current deficit stands at £19.4m – a deterioration of £12.2m from the planned deficit of £7.2m.

The group is currently looking at cuts in a bid to cut its rising deficit and will meet tomorrow.

David Evans last week left his post as leader of Shropshire CCG. He had been brought in as an interim accountable officer in April following serious concerns about finances, but will be replaced as of next week. He will remain in his role leading the Future Fit review, and will remain in charge of Telford & Wrekin CCG.

A report by the Shropshire CCG says: "NHS England formally issued Shropshire CCG with 'directions' in April 2016 and the CCG is in formal financial recovery.

"The CCG is currently forecasting an in year deficit of circa £26m without any mitigating actions being taken. In order for the CCG to meet its agreed control total it needs to deliver additional savings of £10.7m.

"There is, therefore, an urgent need to accelerate the pace of delivery of savings. The recovery schemes have not delivered the required savings.

"A cumulative deficit of £19.4m has been reported, a deterioration of £12.2m from the planned deficit of £7.2m. "The deficit is in effect 'borrowing' at month five. The CCG is required to repay this borrowing. "It is recommended that the CCG takes immediate actions to address this position and to bring the plan back in line with the agreed control total."

Shropshire CCG's finances are one of the items up for discussion tomorrow at Shrewsbury Town Football Club starting at 9.30am.

Meanwhile Telford & Wrekin CCG is currently on target to achieve their agreed financial targets. Its latest figures reveal it currently has a £119,000 surplus.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.