The troubled NHS trust managing Barnet Hospital has been ordered by the government to make savings to stop it plunging £600,000 into the red next year.
Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust has already been branded the worst in London after receiving no stars in recent NHS performance ratings. Its finance director, Alan Levett, this week confirmed that a financial deficit of £600,000 had been forecast for next year but claimed cost-cutting exercises will not affect services.
"The position compared with last year does show significant improvements," said Mr Levett. "The thing we are doing now is trying to find ways to bridge the gap between current funding requirements and finding some additional income and ways of reducing costs.
"It is an absolute requirement that we deliver against the performance targets that we have been set by the government, and there is no question of doing anything at all to reduce patient services."
He said the Trust would be looking at ways of increasing the efficiency of supply costs through work with consultants KPMG.
The Trust will also be handing out dozens of diaries to selected patients in order to assess areas like outpatient clinics, unplanned admissions, inpatient care and discharges. Patients will be asked to log what they felt was good about their care, and what needed improvement.
October 31, 2001 17:45
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