Hospital ‘not anticipating’ service cuts due to energy price surge
This comes as some NHS trusts say they will have to find as much as £2m extra a month this winter due to the fuel price surge
Harrogate District Hospital says it does not expect to cut back on vital health services because of soaring energy bills after revealing its costs have more than doubled from last year.
The hospital’s gas and electricity costs shot up by 132% between April and June when compared to the same period last year, but bosses have insisted the price rises “are being managed”.
This comes amid warnings that some NHS trusts will have to find as much as £2 million extra a month this winter due to the fuel price surge.
The NHS Confederation – which represents trust bosses across the UK – told The British Medical Journal that the energy crisis coupled with higher than expected inflation was already “wiping out large parts of the NHS budget”.
A spokesperson for Harrogate District Hospital said that as part of its own budget planning it would do its “utmost” to take into account further rises.
“Inflation costs above those included in the budget are being actively managed through the trust’s efficiency programme so that we can provide the best possible value for the taxpayer,” the spokesperson said.
“It is important that our community has the best possible healthcare system to turn to when they need it and we are not anticipating that the current fuel rises will impact on the vital services we provide.”
Energy bills for non-domestic customers such as hospitals are not subject to the energy price cap and have therefore been even more vulnerable to surging prices.
Under Liz Truss’s energy plan, household bills will be frozen at an average of £2,500 for two years and the new prime minister said businesses, charities and public sector organisations would also be offered an “equivalent guarantee” – but only for six months.
Harrogate District Hospital was last year awarded £14 million to reduce its carbon footprint and energy bills as part of its drive to become a “greener, more environmentally friendly organisation”.
The funding is being used for works to install new insulation and glazing across the hospital site.
A hospital spokesperson added: “Another exciting project currently underway is the drilling of a borehole, from which the heat energy will be extracted from the water, put through a heat exchanger and into our heating system to help reduce our reliance on gas and other fossil fuels.
“We also have a number of other projects that are currently being progressed or will start shortly, including replacing air handling units to increase efficiency and extract heat energy, and installing photovoltaic arrays to generate electricity on the site.
“Through this work we are already seeing big efficiency gains and further projects will continue in the years ahead.”