Scarborough Hospital reduces budget shortfall

Increasing costs for medication and agency staff have pushed the hospital trust over budget, bosses say

Scarborough Hospital has reduced its budget shortfall by more than £8m but is still adrift of its financial plan, health trust bosses said.

Extra funding had helped cut the deficit from £24m to £15.4m, the NHS trust's financial director said.

However an increase in spending on high-cost drugs had added to financial issues, a hospital meeting was told.

Staffing costs, including an overspend on agency workers, had also pushed the trust over budget, the meeting heard.

The hospital did not yet have confirmation that the extra funding had been approved, said Andrew Bertram, finance director at York and Scarborough Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

But he said the extra income "aligns with everything that everyone knows about and agreed to as regards NHS England and the Integrated Care Board and I fully expect confirmation of that".

Mr Bertram said the hospital was "behind plan on the delivery of our efficiency programme" but that the financial situation would be closely monitored.