A KEY York health body could be out of special measures by the end of this year, officials have said.

The Vale of York CCG – the body which commissions health services around the city – has been in special measures since late 2016 because of financial problems.

On Thursday the CCG’s accountable officer Phil Mettam told its governing body that finances had “stabilised” in the last financial year, leading national body NHS England to say the CCG could start drawing up a strategy to leave special measures and “legal directions” within the year.

“For the first time in about two years we are starting to think about more prevention services and early intervention, and we can think more about how we want our out-of-hospital treatment to look,” he added.

The CCG ended 2017/18 with a £20.1 million deficit – an improvement on the £22.5 million shortfall forecast at the end last year that came because contingency funds were released to the NHS nationwide.

The £20.1 million deficit is a “stablisation and improvement” on previous years, Mr Mettam said, and although not something to be celebrated is still positive progress.

“Many CCGs in North and West Yorkshire face serious deteriorations in their financial positions,” he added.

However, Mr Mettam said that to get the CCG to a stage where it could be released from the “legal directions” and special measures it needs to hit financial targets as well as performance figures on things like A & E waiting times, cancer standards, mental health and dementia care.

The same meeting also heard a plea for the CCG to start planning for winter sooner.

York GP Dr Andrew Field, who sits on the board as a representative for the area, said: “Every year we get to November or December and hastily put together a winter plan. I think now is the time to do it.”

Dr Kev Smith, who is the CCG’s director of primary care, said they made plans when money became available in November and December, but this year the funds are “in the pot” earlier.

There were also concerns raised about CAMHS – children’s mental health services – and the 30 per cent of people who are referred but then not found to be suitable for its help.

City of York Council’s public health director Sharon Stoltz said she was worried about people who had sat on a waiting list to be told they do not meet criteria – by which time the opportunity to help them had been lost.

She said there was a children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing board at the city council which could benefit from input from GPs, but the CCG’s Denise Nightingale said they may not be able to wait for the board’s timescale to make the improvements.