Concerns raised by health panel on Portsmouth trust's finances

QUESTIONS have been asked about how a hospital trust will go from a multimillion-pound deficit this financial year to running a surplus.

By The Newsroom

Published 30th Mar 2018, 07:22 BST

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, presented a financial report to the Portsmouth health overview and scrutiny panel (Hosp) last week.

Chris Adcock, director of finance, told the panel how the trust was due to make a £36.8m deficit for 2017/18 against an initial forecast of a £9.7m surplus. But for the 2018/19 financial year, it is expected to save £35m.

Councillor Leo Madden, chairman of Hosp, said: ‘Our main concern is you are in deficit this year but we have a prediction for next year of going into black.’

Mr Adcock replied: ‘The trust is in dialogue with NHS Improvement about the revised trajectory to review our financial sustainability over a three-year period.’

The report said while saving £35m was ‘ambitious’, it was ‘realistic and achievable and plans to identify the savings required are at an advanced stage’.

Questions Portsmouth