The Board of NHS Lanarkshire at its meeting on 24 March 2010 set out its plan to achieve financial balance in the next financial year, along with projections for the following four years.
In agreeing the plan the Board acknowledged the significant amount of work that had taken place to reconcile the Board’s income for 2010/11 with the areas of increasing expenditure.
Vice-Chairman Bill Sutherland commented:
“While the Scottish budget sheltered Boards from the full impact of the global economic recession on the availability of future funding for the public sector, the growing burden on expenditure due to a range of service driven cost pressures, brings in the need to save 2% cash releasing efficiency savings and means that we are facing challenging financial times ahead .
“The staff within Lanarkshire have risen to the challenge and have undertaken an extensive amount of work to identify a range of efficiencies and savings to achieve financial balance in 2010/11 while at the same time continuing to provide quality patient services”
Outlining the financial position Laura Ace, Director of Finance, said:
“We are planning for challenging times ahead but excellent progress is being made with the support of staff through continued joint efforts between staff side, clinical and management representatives.
“The steps we are taking now are key to achieving financial stability in 2010/11.
“We have much to do but the fact that we have identified savings proposals to within £0.6m of our target at this stage is very encouraging.”
Approximately 120 saving and efficiency projects have been identified. Some have been implemented, some are in the process of being implemented and others are in development and will require stakeholder engagement and consultation.
Employee Director Lilian Macer said: “Staff side representatives have been fully involved in the process of developing the savings plans and in the implementation that has taken place to date.
“Through regular communication, engagement and interaction with staff we are confident of delivering patient centred services that are both efficient and effective.”
In setting out the 5-year financial plan, the Board also endorsed the 2010/11 capital plan and noted the potential capital schemes for 2011 to 2015.
Director of Planning Ian Ross said:
“In the last five years NHS Lanarkshire has significantly advanced the first phase of an ambitious new build programme which will see developments at Coathill, Caird House, Carluke and Kirklands all completed during 2010/11. This is in addition to recently completed new developments at Bellshill Health Clinic, Greenhills Health & Dental Centre at East Kilbride and Douglas Street Community Clinic in Hamilton.
“We were fortunate to get early support for our 2010/11 capital plan which enabled us to recently commit to the Airdrie Health Centre development and we expect this to be completed in 2012. In addition £5m will be invested in Monklands Hospital to improve facilities at the hospital. Medical equipment and information systems will also be funded from the capital allocation in 2010/11.”