Western Health Care Debt 'Quashed'

A substantial 'debt' left behind after two health boards merged has been effectively quashed, thanks to some financial moves at a higher level.

NI Health Minster, Michael McGimpsey said that a £3.3 million debt inherited by the Western Health and Social Care Trust will not now be recovered, as long as they break even.

The former Sperrin Lakeland Trust which merged to form the new Western Trust incurred the deficit in April 2007.

Speaking during an Assembly debate yesterday in which he expressed concerns about the impact of the debt on jobs and key services, the Minister said: "The Western Trust has moved quickly to deal with this problem.

"In the meantime my Department fortunately was able to manage the £3.3million deficit within the overall DHSSPS budget for 2006/07.

"If the Trust demonstrates sound financial management by breaking even in both 2007/08 and 2008/09, my Department shall not seek to recover the deficit," he told the Stormont Assembly, but warned that 'good financial housekeeping" was essential.

"I know all members will agree the importance of living within resources and I expect and require all health bodies to do so," he concluded.

The debate came just days after the Minister was forced to defend proposed cutbacks which are expected to result in 722 nursing posts being lost.

The Director of the Royal College of Nursing, Mary Hinds, said on Monday she was very concerned about the possible loss of nursing jobs.

Ms Hinds said losing frontline service staff would mean that patients would suffer as a result.

"You can't get much more frontline than a nurse and we're gravely concerned about that impact on patient care," she said.

However, the Minister has little choice with all Executive departments being told last October to make efficiency savings of up to 3%.

While the Assembly has now called on the Health Minister to ensure that efficiency savings within the health service do not affect such frontline services, Michael McGimpsey argued he had to find savings of £700m and claimed some members no longer seemed to back what he originally called the inadequate health budget he had been forced to accept by the Executive.

Mr McGimpsey said: "This is a matter for the Executive and the Executive is saying that, and it is a Treasury guideline, we must make 3% efficiencies over the next three years."

(BMcC/JM)