News / Minister eases Northern Ireland pinch

Cost pressures on Northern Ireland’s health and social care trusts have been alleviated, but they still face tough challenges if they are to balance their books this year, health minister Michael McGimpsey has said.

A number of trusts were reporting funding shortfalls and had been asked to submit detailed financial contingency plans to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. But the minister has rejected several proposals in these plans that would have a significant impact on frontline services, including a proposal to close 150 beds in the Belfast Trust.

Mr McGimpsey said he had some clarity over his department’s budget, following the agreement that it would fund half the expected £64m cost of swine flu. He released £20m to trusts to sustain work on waiting time targets, including the resumption of independent sector activity where this was critical to reducing waiting times.

He added that the latest actuarial assessment of the employers’ contributions to staff pensions in 2009/10 would reduce the cost pressures on trusts.

‘I have had to make some very difficult decisions and trusts still face considerable challenges in balancing their books,’ he said.

Some improvements would be delayed, but he promised a wide range of stringent cost control measures.

l NHS Scotland exceeded its efficiency targets last year, saving almost £300m. It had been set a 2% target  – £215m – but saved £297m. Six health boards generated total savings of more than 3%, while NHS 24 produced 9%. Health minister Nicola Sturgeon said the efficiency drive would continue ‘this year and next’.