News / Finance programme aims for savings

NHS Improvement has selected 16 trusts from 80 volunteers to receive intensive financial support, in particular to help them realise some savings identified in Lord Carter’s review of NHS productivity.

NHS Improvement said trusts were chosen on the basis of where the support would have the most impact. The full list includes eight NHS trusts and eight foundation trusts – acute, mental health and ambulance.

Jason Dorsett, senior responsible officer for the programme, said: ‘We will support trusts to tackle the more difficult savings that previous cost improvement programmes have been unable to reach,’ he said. ‘It will also share innovative approaches, tools and lessons learnt with the rest of the NHS.’

NHS Improvement said the programme was likely to cost £25m, but would save twice this in the first year. Payment for the teams of experts brought in to support the trusts will be partly related to savings achieved.

A second wave of the scheme will be launched later in the year.

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, one of the trusts in the programme, said returning to a balanced budget was a ‘top priority’. Chief executive Dr Tracey Batten said: ‘The [programme] provides a great opportunity to use the skills and capacity of external experts to boost our existing cost saving work and help secure our financial position for the future.