East Kent: NHS Trust facing further overspend of almost £50 million
East Kent NHS trust facing new forecast deficit of £117m
Top bosses at East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) say their ballooning costs are “unacceptable” and they need to meet further “ambitious” saving targets next year.
It comes as the hospital trust is facing a new forecast deficit of more than £117 million.
NHS chiefs admit trying to fix an ailing hospital trust’s finances is like “trying to boil an ocean” as they face a further overspend of almost £50 million this year.
The organisation is one of the biggest NHS bodies in the country, running hospitals in Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Margate and serving a population of about 700,000.
New chief finance officer Tim Glenn has said by December the trust was losing about £10m per month.
He told the board and revealed there would be a new “forecast deficit” of £117.4m.
In December the trust was running at a deficit of almost £70m – when the organisation was meant to have a deficit of only £72m by April 2024.
As a result of the overspend, the trust needs to make a minimum of £49m of savings next year.
Detailed plans on how to make those savings are expected in March.