Health trust fears over savings plan (From York Press)

Health trust fears over savings plan

7:40am Saturday 15th September 2012 in News

HEALTH bosses have said a plan drawn up by North Yorkshire’s NHS trust to make massive savings is risky and may not work.

NHS North Yorkshire and York revealed in June that it is facing a £19 million overspend unless drastic steps are taken, which does not include a further £22 million of savings which the Government has demanded during the current financial year.

The Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority has said it is not convinced by the trust’s response to the Goverment-ordered efficiency drive as it is relying on potentially unpopular service changes, such as reducing the number of hospital beds after improving treatment for patients with long-term conditions such as dementia.

The authority said that as this depended on public consultation, it is not clear whether the savings can be met.

The trust has said major proposals for cutting the deficit were expected to be delivered over a 12 to 18-month period and it is also “constantly reviewing the use of estates”.

However, in July, then Health Secretary Andrew Lansley suggested its £19 million debt could be written off as he wanted the new Clinical Commissioning Groups, which take over from primary care trusts next April, to start with “a clean balance sheet”.