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Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Health
- Press and Journal
Nappies cut ruled out as London-based experts drafted in to help NHS Grampian save millions
Health bosses have voted against plans to slash spending on newborn tots amid fears scrapping hospital nappies 'would do more harm than good'. A shock dossier earlier this week revealed a range of services across the north-east could be axed or reduced to save the health board £23 million. This included halting cancer treatment and elective surgeries on public holidays and even stopping giving out disposable nappies for most newborn babies. The proposed cost-cutting measures would have impacted expectant mums at maternity wards in Aberdeen, Inverurie, Peterhead and Elgin. It comes as NHS Grampian bosses scramble to recoup millions of pounds after officially becoming the most broke health board in Scotland. They currently have a staggering £68m overspend that they aim to reduce to £45m in the next 12 months. And now, external experts have been drafted in to help them balance the books. Government officials haven hired London-based advisors KPMG to crunch the numbers and help NHS Grampian come up with an expansive savings plan. They say the cash crisis within the health board has escalated to the point where there is a need for experts to intervene amid concerns over failing to improve services. Adam Coldwells reassured board members that NHS Grampian will still be 'absolutely in charge' of the recovery plan and the changes they implement further down the line. However, the external body will be there to monitor their progress, give advice on possible additional savings the board might have missed and 'hold them to account'. The interim chief executive said this is a necessary measure to turn the health board's fortunes around as 'the scale of the [financial] challenge is significant'. And he stressed this would be a good opportunity to learn and improve. He added: 'Clearly it's an extremely serious issue and relates primarily to our financial position, which as a board we've been working on for the last two years. 'We've certainly struggled to find the scale of savings that we need to. 'I'm optimistic this external support from an organisation, who has done this lots of times, will be able to find things that we've simply not been able to identify ourselves.' Members of the NHS Grampian board were later presented with a detailed report outlining 79 cost-cutting measures which will be implemented within the next year. Health bosses admit about a dozen of those could have direct impact on vulnerable patients – with a range of medical services no longer taking place on public holidays. This would affect non-emergency surgeries and diagnostic tests, as well as cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Routine test results will also be given by phone or letter, with face-to-face appointments taking place only when essential. The aim is to cut down on overtime pay. Board member Derick Murray questioned whether they are not 'taking a step back' by reducing these services. But interim director of people and culture, Philip Shipman, said running services on public holidays is 'incredibly expensive' so that's a good place to make a saving. Dr Colette Backwell later also reminded fellow board members that the recovery plan they have been presented with is a necessity rather than a choice. 'The Scottish Government is asking us to find more savings so we have to go along with that,' she said. Staff at pharmacies will also be taking a day off on public holidays from now on. Members raised concerns this could result in people not getting the treatment they need in a timely manner or being missed altogether. Area clinical forum chairman Mark Burrell admitted other health committees have had similar worries too. However, he reassured that there is a 'robust evaluation' under way so that 'patients do not suffer' at the hands of the proposed changes. 'This is kept under very close review,' Mr Burrell added. One of the proposed measures was, however, scratched from the plans amid fears it 'would not be supportive of vulnerable parents'. Board chairwoman Alison Evison raised concerns that if they stop giving out nappies at hospitals, parents might end up without any supplies at an already stressful time. This option would have essentially saved them around £8,000 per year. But Mrs Evison didn't think 'such a small' amount would justify the impact of going ahead with the proposals. She said: 'This saving has huge implications for certain people who are in need of that kind of support when they're coming to hospital. 'And yet, the saving associated with it is actually relatively small. 'Sometimes people will be coming to a hospital to have a baby when they are not expecting it at that point in time. It's a case of just not being prepared. 'So I think we are actually trying to make a saving which is going to be more negative than supportive.' All of the other proposals were given the green light, however, with a more detailed report being presented to the board in October.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scottish Government bails out NHS Grampian with £67 million loan
NHS Grampian has been loaned more than £67 million by the Scottish Government to tackle the largest overspend of any NHS health board across Scotland. The board accepted the loan to plug the overspending ahead of a board meeting on Thursday, where bosses are expected to discuss the health board's financial positions, as well as approving a £39m savings plan. NHS Grampian is one of 14 regional health boards in Scotland and manages two hospitals, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) and Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin. READ MORE: Hundreds of women to take part in first big Orange parade in Glasgow this year Chief executive Adam Coldwells warned last September that the health board was suffering from 'sustained and continuing pressure', with a critical incident being announced in November. Health board papers, seen by STV News, state the impact of NHS Grampian's position "is a major risk for the National Health and Social Care Health budget". It further states: 'This brokerage will require to be repaid to the Scottish Government once the Board returns to financial balance, [and it] takes total brokerage repayable to the Scottish Government to £92.2m.' Discussions on Thursday are to focus on how to reduce the overspending to £45m or less by this time next year. This is the amount of time the Government has given the board. However, current forecasts expect the health board to exceed the maximum deficit by £23m. Several factors are contributing to the financial crisis of NHS Grapmian, including the rising cost of healthcare, staffing, employer National Insurance contributions, as well as energy, food and maintenance bills. Three Health and Social Care Partnerships for Grampian which overspent their budgets in 2024/25, which NHS Grampian paid an extra £24.7m to cover. The health board claims this is due to an increase of 9% in the number of over 65s in the last five years – the highest percentage increase in the older population across Scotland. A spokesperson for NHS Grampian said: 'This increase is driving the system pressures within our Health Board and our Health and Social Care Partnerships." On the government load, a spokesperson said: 'We will continue to work with Scottish Government, our staff, stakeholders, and the people to Grampian, to ensure NHS resources are used appropriately and savings are realised wherever possible." It comes as a financial review, commissioned by ministers, is taking place and should be concluded by the end of next month. It is hoped the review will identify areas in which additional savings can be made.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
NHS Grampian given £67m Scottish government loan
NHS Grampian is being given a Scottish government loan of more than £67m to tackle its overspend. It comes as a review, commissioned by ministers, is taking place on the financial position of the health board. The review should be finalised by the end of next month and will identify areas in which additional savings can be delivered. Health Secretary Neil Gray said the Scottish government was providing more than £14.2bn for NHS boards across Scotland in 2024-25 to support services, which he claimed was a real terms increase of almost 3%. More stories from North East Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Listen to news from North East Scotland on BBC Sounds NHS Grampian's chief executive Adam Coldwells warned last September that the health board needed to reduce spending to tackle an "extremely challenging" financial position. The board said at the time it was facing tens of millions of pounds of ongoing financial pressures. Then in November it declared a "critical incident" which saw some ambulance patients diverted to hospitals outside its area due to demand at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI). It was later stood down. NHS Grampian in 'extremely challenging' position NHS Grampian position 'very busy and challenging'
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
NHS Grampian given £67m government loan to tackle its overspend
NHS Grampian is being given a Scottish government loan of more than £67m to tackle its comes as a review, commissioned by ministers, is taking place on the financial position of the health review should be finalised by the end of next month and will identify areas in which additional savings can be Secretary Neil Gray said the Scottish government was providing more than £14.2bn for NHS boards across Scotland in 2024-25 to support services, which he claimed was a real terms increase of almost 3%. NHS Grampian's chief executive Adam Coldwells warned last September that the health board needed to reduce spending to tackle an "extremely challenging" financial board said at the time it was facing tens of millions of pounds of ongoing financial in November it declared a "critical incident" which saw some ambulance patients diverted to hospitals outside its area due to demand at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI). It was later stood down.
