Hospital chiefs announce £20.3m financial black hole in their books
The North West London NHS Trust has a £20.3m deficit - Credit: Archant
Doctor and nurses could face added pressure after hospital chiefs announced a £20 million black hole in their books.
Doctor and nurses could face added pressure after hospital chiefs announced a £20 million black hole in their books.
Staff levels at Northwick Park and Central Middlesex hospitals could be the casualty of plans by North West London Hospitals NHS Trust to plug the deficit.
David McVittie, the trust’s chief executive, said he would like to reassure patients that they intend to maintain “high quality services” whilst exploring more cost effective and efficient measures.
He added: “There are lots of ways in which we can reduce our pay bill without loss of jobs such as looking at redeployment, flexible retirement, voluntary reduction in hours, controlling expenditure on temporary /agency staff, flexible working and reducing sickness.”
The deficit will not have an impact on the development of a new emergency department, funded by a £20 million grant from the Department of Health which is due to open in the autumn.
Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Brent Council’s lead member for adults and health, described the figure as “deeply worrying.”
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He told the Times: “Brent Council will continue to work with local health partners to provide high quality health care services to Brent residents, and deliver on Labour’s vision of integrated whole person care.”
This news comes just months after official figures revealed the trust only hit government targets for waiting times at its hospital casualty units on just two weeks in the last year.
The trust was also named at presenting a high risk for patients in a report released by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in October last year after it ‘mis-recorded’ data.
Plans for a merger with Ealing Hospital Trust are expected to take place in July.
