Is turnaround working? The latest figures from the Department of Health suggest there is little evidence yet that it is. Read the news story here. While the number of affected trusts has risen from an original 52 to a current 143, there are few clear signs that turnaround is bringing real change. The weight of that long tail of financial problems remains heavy.
The combined gross deficit is now predicted to be£1.2bn, with considerably more organisations contributing to this figure than was the case three months ago.
The position is only marginally better than at the end of the last financial year.
London looks particularly hard hit, with its forecast deficit ballooning from£90m to£135m in the last three months. Primary care trusts account for the biggest deterioration, their combined deficit up from£366m to£596 over the same period.
All the 'good news' about the NHS's overall financial state is provided by increased surpluses from high-performing organisations and action by strategic health authorities.
Considering the amount of money that has been spent - mainly by the trusts themselves - one would surely expect more progress among the debtors. The phrase turnaround does, after all, imply a change of direction.
Against this background, it comes as particularly unwelcome news that the 'long running' and 'troubled' Hatfield reconfiguration plans in Hertfordshire can now add the prefix 'cancelled'.
It looks likely to go through yet another consultation during the heat of the May local elections and likely Labour leadership turmol. Selling redesign without long-promised investment in that kind of climate will be a huge test.
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