Financial sustainability of the NHS
The financial performance of NHS bodies worsened considerably in 2015/16 and this trend is not sustainable, according to a report from the National Audit Office.
In 2015/16, NHS commissioners, NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts reported a combined deficit of £1.85 billion, a greater than three-fold increase in the deficit position of £574m reported in 2014/15. Provider trusts’ overall deficit grew by 185% to £2.45 billion, up from £859m in 2014/15, against total income of £75.97bn. In addition, two-thirds of NHS trusts (65%) and NHS foundation trusts (66%) reported deficits in 2015/16, up from 44% of NHS trusts and 51% of NHS foundation trusts in the previous financial year. The number of clinical commissioning groups reporting cumulative deficits was 32 in 2015/16, up from 19 in both 2014/15 and 2013/14. More....
