NHS Somerset ups payment to Taunton and Somerset FT

Minutes from a board meeting in January reported that emergency admissions were 2,118 cases higher than the contracted position, while outpatient activity is also “substantially higher than contracted”. The number of elective spells handled by the trust at that point in the year was behind contract by 1,000 spells.

The minutes report NHS Somerset has “acknowledged that the emergency over-activity is not sustainable at just 30 per cent of tariff”.

The finance report to March’s board states: “The agreement with NHS Somerset reflects an outturn contract value of £196.8m (£3.4m above the original contract value in recognition of activities performed above the original contract value).”

The trust is reporting a surplus of £1.7m at the end of FEbruary which represents a favourable variance of £1.2m against the planned surplus of £542,000.