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New NHS target 'may lead to cuts' New NHS target 'may lead to cuts'
(31 minutes later)
Key Welsh NHS waiting list targets for next year cannot be met without service cuts, finance experts have claimed.Key Welsh NHS waiting list targets for next year cannot be met without service cuts, finance experts have claimed.
NHS finance directors say the proposed 3.1% Welsh budget increase is not enough to help meet the challenging 26-week treatment deadline.NHS finance directors say the proposed 3.1% Welsh budget increase is not enough to help meet the challenging 26-week treatment deadline.
They have warned the assembly government pressure to hit the target could lead to staff and service cuts.They have warned the assembly government pressure to hit the target could lead to staff and service cuts.
But Health Minister Edwina Hart said with "better management" the targets could be met.But Health Minister Edwina Hart said with "better management" the targets could be met.
The service has been allocated £63m in extra funding and has been told it must meet the new target by December 2009.The service has been allocated £63m in extra funding and has been told it must meet the new target by December 2009.
"The NHS always believes it cannot reach its targets and finance directors always make the claims for further money, because last year we had very similar concerns and groans about whether they could manage - of course the NHS budget totally balanced last year," Ms Hart said."The NHS always believes it cannot reach its targets and finance directors always make the claims for further money, because last year we had very similar concerns and groans about whether they could manage - of course the NHS budget totally balanced last year," Ms Hart said.
'Huge challenges'
The service has been given £63m to cut waiting, but the NHS officials said this, which is part of an overall proposed budget increase of just over 3% would not be enough to pay for the scheme.The service has been given £63m to cut waiting, but the NHS officials said this, which is part of an overall proposed budget increase of just over 3% would not be enough to pay for the scheme.
NHS finance directors say it will be a significant challenge, given all the other pressures on the health service.NHS finance directors say it will be a significant challenge, given all the other pressures on the health service.
These pressures include inflation, a legal cut in junior doctors' hours and the introduction of new policies such as free hospital car parking.These pressures include inflation, a legal cut in junior doctors' hours and the introduction of new policies such as free hospital car parking.
The directors believe extremely difficult decisions about priorities in the service will have to be made, despite planned productivity gains and efficiencies aimed at helping the NHS reach the treatment target being introduced.The directors believe extremely difficult decisions about priorities in the service will have to be made, despite planned productivity gains and efficiencies aimed at helping the NHS reach the treatment target being introduced.
Conservative AM Jonathan Morgan, chair of the National Assembly's Health Committee, said while he thought the NHS had to be more efficient and increase its productivity, calling on trusts to make savings of 3% was not realistic.
"We simply cannot dismiss the claims of NHS financial directors as just being the usual groan we get from one year to the next," he said.
"I think she was too dismissive yesterday, she has to understand there are some huge challenges for the NHS in terms of energy costs, wage inflation, NHS inflation and meeting a 3% efficiency saving."