FINANCE: Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group has blamed NHS Shared Business Services for an error which caused the CCG to fail to meet its cash balance target in June, according to board documents.

Since January, the CCG has had a target to have a maximum cash balance at the end of each month of no more than 1.25 per cent of that drawn down in the month.

A paper presented to the CCG’s board last week said that while its payments had been submitted correctly, NHS Shared Business Services did not process the payments on the same day, in line with procedure.

The CCG’s board paper said: “Although the commissioning support unit finance officer completed all actions (faster payments were raised, authorised and submitted) in time to the CSU Hub to meet the closing cash balance requirements, NHS Shared Business Service did not process these payment as same day payments, but as payments for the following day.

“This issue is being discussed with Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit and NHS Shared Business Services and we have been assured that it will not happen again.”

NHS Shared Business Services is a joint venture between the Department of Health and Steria, a business services firm.