Frugal Telford health body is rewarded with £2 million
The GP-led body that runs some of Telford's health services has been handed a £2 million cash boost from the NHS.
The payment has been given as a reward for keeping its finances in the black.
Telford's clinical commissioning group managed to achieve a £119,000 surplus for the financial year stretching from 2016 to 2017 from its £14.2m budget.
It will now be rewarded with a £2m payment from NHS England the organisation that oversees trusts' spending.
The money which the body insists is not a windfall will be used to provide services in the borough in the coming year.
The group also revealed that efforts were in hand to recoup debts after its latest financial report showed that the CCG is owed a total of £1,343,052 with 83 per cent of that figure owed to it by Telford & Wrekin Council.
The largest outstanding unpaid bill is for £600,000 and the oldest unpaid invoice is two-years-old.
The CCG aims to pay 95 per cent of its creditors within 30 days of receiving an invoice.
Spending has included a £50,000 dementia project that will run over two years to employ a support worker who will raise awareness of the condition and tackle isolation.
A further £37,000 on setting up a small team in partnership with Shropshire CCG to tackle issues including falls prevention.
The group also received a £42,000 capital allocation in January for computer equipment and software for staff.
CCG spokesman Richard Caddy said: "Telford & Wrekin CCG, through careful management, has achieved a financial surplus as all CCGs are required to do.
This is not a windfall but will be used to support national NHS priorities.
"There are a number of services provided in partnership between the local authority and the CCG through the Better Care Fund and although there are a number of invoices that are outstanding, discussions are ongoing around these invoices and we believe that any issues will be resolved and invoices paid shortly."
Telford & Wrekin CCG chairman Jo Leahy has praised the management team for keeping the books in the black despite cost pressures.
Meanwhile Shropshire CCG expects to record a deficit of £25.9m.
It was placed in special measures last year and was last week criticised by NHS official Wendy Saviour, who described services it was commissioning as "poor".
CCGs funds hospital tests, specialist consultations and operations; out of hours and emergency care; community nurses, rehabilitation; mental health support; learning disability services and GP services.
