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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Financial challenge for Welsh NHS | Financial challenge for Welsh NHS |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Some NHS bodies in Wales will face "serious financial challenges" according to a report by Auditor General for Wales Jeremy Colman. | Some NHS bodies in Wales will face "serious financial challenges" according to a report by Auditor General for Wales Jeremy Colman. |
| However, Mr Colman's report also says that improvements have been made in NHS finances since he found debts of £114m two years ago. | |
| Now only one NHS trust, Ceredigion and Mid Wales, has failed to break even. | Now only one NHS trust, Ceredigion and Mid Wales, has failed to break even. |
| Local health boards are not performing as well as possible and could face difficulties when repaying old debts. | Local health boards are not performing as well as possible and could face difficulties when repaying old debts. |
| In 2007 Wales' 22 Local Health Boards (LHBs) were given an extra £24m to cover increased costs of providing healthcare. | In 2007 Wales' 22 Local Health Boards (LHBs) were given an extra £24m to cover increased costs of providing healthcare. |
| The auditor points out that those boards will now have to repay that money in the next financial year. | The auditor points out that those boards will now have to repay that money in the next financial year. |
| Health 'headache' | Health 'headache' |
| For Powys LHB this could be to the tune of nearly £13m, and £8m for Swansea. | For Powys LHB this could be to the tune of nearly £13m, and £8m for Swansea. |
| The auditor said he hoped this would not affect services and said: "There are many ways of repaying the debt. | The auditor said he hoped this would not affect services and said: "There are many ways of repaying the debt. |
| "It doesn't necessarily have to mean dramatic cuts in services, but it is a headache for the health boards to deal with this, as well as the underlying problems that led to the deficit in the first place." | "It doesn't necessarily have to mean dramatic cuts in services, but it is a headache for the health boards to deal with this, as well as the underlying problems that led to the deficit in the first place." |
| But he warned that the NHS would continue to face financial challenges considering cost pressures such as drugs prescribing and continuing healthcare. | But he warned that the NHS would continue to face financial challenges considering cost pressures such as drugs prescribing and continuing healthcare. |
| He also added that NHS managers needed to have appropriate financial skills and said most NHS bodies were "effecitve in stewardship of public funds, but that financial management is not yet able to play its full role". | He also added that NHS managers needed to have appropriate financial skills and said most NHS bodies were "effecitve in stewardship of public funds, but that financial management is not yet able to play its full role". |