Sixth London hospital trust now predicting deficit

The acute sector in London is now predicting a year-end deficit of £112m, £5m worse than plan, according to a report from NHS London finance director Paul Baumann.

The report said: “The main factor in this is shortfalls in Whipps Cross, who are forecasting a £6m adverse variance from plan on the basis that cost improvement programme (CIP) delivery, partly attributable to wider health economy related activity reduction schemes, is not having the anticipated impact.”

The five trusts already predicting deficits are South London Healthcare Trust, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust, Epsom and St Helier, Imperial and North West London Hospitals.

Imperial’s deficit has swelled to £35m but South London’s reduced to £65m and Epsom and St Helier’s to £14m.

Three PCTs are already reporting a year-end deficit, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey, but the month five NHS London report showed three other PCTs each reporting a £2m adverse variance: Barking & Dagenham, Redbridge and Bexley.

The report said: “These PCTs have not been able to develop recovery plans sufficient to offset the acute overperformance and QIPP shortfalls they are experiencing.”