LISTEN: NHS Highland Make £4Million In Savings

NHS Highland has managed to make more than 4 million pounds in savings over the last month.

A meeting will hear the health board still faces a potential 8.2 million overspend.

But, members will be told budgets will be balanced by March if cost reduction targets are met.

In his report to the board, Finance Director Nick Kenton showed there had been an improvement of £4.1 million on the position reported at the board's last meeting.

“While there is still a considerable gap to close, a £4.1 million improvement is positive,” he reported. However, he added that “additional actions” will be required to deliver break-even by the end of the financial year.

With a “challenging” savings target of £22.4 million and costs pressures estimated at £11 million overall, the board would have to make £33 million of savings to break even, Mr Kenton pointed out that the current financial forecast assumes that all but £2.5 million of savings will be achieved.

In a report on the board's financial recovery plan, savings were being delivered through planned measures across the board and through specific programmes of work.

MFR Reporter Derek Ferguson speaks with NHS Highland Finance Director Nick Kenton...