Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and three hospital trusts placed in financial special measures. They face significant budget cuts and potential service reductions. The ICB and trusts are working to address their financial challenges and improve healthcare sustainability.
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), which oversees healthcare funding in the region, has been placed into financial special measures alongside three hospital trusts. The trusts running Royal Preston, Chorley, Royal Blackburn, Burnley, and Blackpool Victoria hospitals have been instructed to make substantial efficiency savings, totaling tens of millions of pounds.
The ICB itself faces a daunting task of achieving more than £530 million in cost reductions this financial year, which may necessitate cuts to some services. The ICB acknowledged the severity of the situation and welcomed the additional support from NHS England. The affected hospital trusts have already implemented significant budget cuts and imposed a near-freeze on non-clinical staff recruitment. East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, for instance, announced the termination of a free bus service connecting hospitals in Blackburn, Burnley, and Pendle, saving £780,000 annually. Chorley hospital will be closing a general medical ward constructed less than three years ago, prompting a strike by its staff who face redeployment. Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust explained that the ward closure was part of a cost-saving measure and that it planned to repurpose the space.The financial difficulties stem from the ICB's operating budget of just over £5.2 billion, which falls short of its requirements to maintain the entire regional health system. To meet its targets, the ICB would need to reduce service costs by over £700 million. While some savings have already been achieved, NHS England has expressed concerns about the progress and implemented the Recovery Support Programme, a form of special measures. This program involves national teams assessing operational efficiency and identifying cost-saving opportunities. The Royal Preston Hospital, facing its own challenges including maintenance backlogs estimated at £157 million, has been particularly impacted. The hospital's age and infrastructure issues have led to temporary closures of clinical areas due to flooding, and parts of the building have been described as 'dilapidated'. The anticipated construction of a new hospital, originally planned for the early 2030s, is now projected to be 18 years away.
HEALTHCARE FINANCE HOSPITAL TRUSTS NHS ENGLAND INTEGRATED CARE BOARD FINANCIAL CRISIS COST SAVINGS SERVICE REDUCTIONS RECOVERY SUPPORT PROGRAMME Lancashire SOUTH CUMBRIA
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