News / Control total deadline

NHS Improvement has told trusts they must agree financial control totals for 2017/18 and 2018/19 by 24 November.

Agreement and delivery of the control totals are conditions for accessing the sustainability and transformation fund (STF), which is worth £1.8bn in each of the years.

NHS Improvement said the STF will be divided into a £1.6bn general fund and £200m targeted fund for high-performing trusts.

Most of the general fund (£1.5bn) will be allocated to emergency care providers, which face the most significant financial and operational pressures, it said. The remaining £100m will be allocated to ambulance, mental health and community trusts according to revenue.

The King’s Fund was critical of the use of the STF so far. In a review of the Five-year forward view, it insisted too much of the fund was being used to reduce deficits and the five-year plan could be undermined if more is not allocated to transforming services. Much remained to be done, including the development of new payment mechanisms.

Birmingham and Solihull and other sustainability and transformation plan (STP) areas have published their plans. The Birmingham STP will seek to transform health and social care and create efficient organisations and infrastructure. The latter includes plans for back-office services for the four main acute providers to be provided by University Hospitals Birmingham/ Heart of England foundation trusts.