In the Telegraph a report on the dire financial straits of Britain’s NHS:
NHS trusts in England have racked up a deficit approaching £1 billion in the first three months of the financial year – the worst financial position “in a generation,” regulators have said.
The figure is more than the £820 million overspend for the entire previous year.
Experts warned of a looming winter crisis.
They said the “staggering” figures would result in widespread cutbacks to services, with lengthening waiting times and increased rationing of care.
The statistics for April to June show an overall deficit of £930m across England’s 241 NHS hospital trusts, with three in four trusts in the red.
The statistics show NHS Foundation Trusts had a deficit of £445 million. Other NHS trusts ended the first quarter of the year £485 million in deficit.
The foundation trust sector is under “massive pressure” and can no longer afford to go on as it is, the financial regulator Monitor said.
Regulators said an “over-reliance” on agency nurses and doctors to plug shortages of staff was fuelling the growing debt, which is forecast to reach a record high.
