Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH) has come out of special measures for financial reasons with immediate effect.
Significant focus and discipline have seen BSUH regain firm control over its finances, substantially reducing the trust’s deficit and identifying millions of pounds worth of in-year savings at the same time. During this period, the trust has continued to invest in its facilities, staff and services to continue improving standards of patient care across all of its hospitals.
The improvement has led NHS Improvement (NHSI) to confirm that while the trust remains in special measures for quality, it no longer warrants being in special measures for financial reasons. In a letter to trust Chairman, Patrick Boyle, NHSI praised the significant work that the trust has undertaken to stabilise its financial position.
Since the appointment of the new executive team at the start of the 2017 financial year, the trust has gained the confidence of regulators by:
- Achieving the deficit target required by NHSI
- Reducing its deficit by £13million – 19%
- Making £20million of savings across the organisation
- Strengthening the financial governance and management of the trust, and
- Identifying a further £30million of efficiencies for 2018/19.
Chief Executive, Marianne Griffiths said: “Patient care is our top priority, and the link with sound financial management is undeniable.
“We now have control over our finances and we have achieved this without taking our eye off the goal of delivering excellent patient care. We have also continued to invest in our staff and our facilities during this exceptionally difficult period.
“We still have a distance to go in achieving a balanced budget, but no longer being in special measures for finance is a major milestone on that journey.”
The trust’s projected deficit for the 2018/19 financial year is £55m.
Marianne added: “We have delivered on the deficit reduction plan we made with NHSI and we will maintain our focus and disciplined approach to financial management.
“All of our staff have had a role to play in today’s announcement, and will continue to be central to our financial sustainability moving forwards. Along with the rest of the board and executive team, I would like to thank them for their efforts to date, and for the continued financial focus that they will bring to decisions moving forwards.
“High quality patient care and strong financial management go hand in hand, and I have no doubt that we will continue to improve on both aspects of life at the trust.”
