by Nadia Sam-Daliri The borough s GP and community healthcare provider is among the worst in the country for financial management, an independent report has shown. Financial watchdog, the Audit Commission announced Brent NHS scored just o

by Nadia Sam-Daliri

The borough's GP and community healthcare provider is among the worst in the country for financial management, an independent report has shown.

Financial watchdog, the Audit Commission announced Brent NHS scored just one out of five for use of resources from April 2007 to March 2008.

This means it failed to meet minimum standards of managing and did not achieve value for money for tax payers.

But the trust said that the colossal £25million debt its former management wracked up in 2006/2007 would inevitably run into the following year.

Mark Easton, CEO of NHS Brent said "The scores reflect that during 2007-08 the trust was recovering from a significant financial deficit and numerous well-publicised organisational problems. Since then a new board and executive management team have come into place."

North West London Hospitals NHS trust, which runs the Central Middlesex Hospital and Northwick Park Hospital, was among the twelve lowest in the country out of 302 healthcare providers.

The commission said it must now take immediate action for failing to meet minimum standards for three years in a row.

See Thursday's Times for a full report.

nadia.sam-daliri@archant.co.uk