Airedale chief admits concerns over financial position

In the chief executive’s report to the March board meeting it was revealed the trust’s surplus for this financial year was £0.82m, ahead of plans, but that “the underlying trend continues to indicate deterioration in overall financial performance. Looking ahead to next year, I remain very concerned about the underlying financial position and the impact on longer term viability.”

The trust is failing to deliver some of the cost improvement savings it hoped for, with projected consultant retirements being delayed and bed reconfigurations not proceeding as fast as planned.

And there is concern around medical staffing costs with a warning that the trust’s income can no longer sustain the current proportion being spent on nursing and medical staffing.