NHS Forth Valley facing £30 million overspend despite £5 million saving on agency nurses

dailyrecord.co.uk:

NHS Forth Valley is facing an overspend of around £30 million, despite saving £5 million by reducing spending on agency nurses.

Finance director Scott Urquhart told members of the health board that the situation remained "exceptionally challenging" in Forth Valley and across Scotland.

He added that "redesign and reform of services" will have to happen in order to balance the health service's books. Read more: Deaf cancer felt doctors 'fobbed him off' until he pulled a tumour out of his own throat At the start of the year, NHS Forth Valley was faced with making cuts of £59 million and identified a range of cost-cutting measures that would take that shortfall down to £14.5 million by the end of the financial year.Realistically, they now think a £30 million deficit - from a budget of £900 million - is the mostly likely outcome, as winter approaches.In his report to the board, financial director Scott Urquhart said: "It is recognised that as we approach winter, there is unlikely to be sufficient scope to substantively improve the out turnprojection other than through additional funding or application of more radical measures that would have a significantly detrimental impact on performance or patient experience."As things stand, the local NHS has overspent by £18.2 million so far this financial year, which is projected to reach £30 million by the end of the financial year.The figure includes £7 million of savings that could not be found in previous years.Most of the overspend has been in acute services, with ongoing pressures in accident and emergency services which continue to see very high demand and longer stays overall.Costs for the health service have also risen in many other areas while income has remained flat.Ther