Health Trust to slash £32million from budget

The borough’s health trust needs to cut £32million from its budget.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale faces the task of cutting its budget following central government funding cuts.

The health trust, which runs GP surgeries and community health care services, will make the cuts over the next four years.

Joanne Newton, Director of Finance at NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale said: “To contribute to the national savings required over the next four years, NHS HMR is required to make £32.1m savings which will be a tough challenge.

“Last year we managed to save £13.5m through a range of projects including a review of prescribed medicine and supporting more patients to receive care closer to home to reduce hospital admissions. Not only do initiatives like these produce efficiency savings, they also help to drive up the quality and productivity of our services, meaning that we are getting the best service for the money we have to spend.”

Ms Newton continued: “For this financial year, we need to make £11m savings and have already begun to put plans in place to deliver these efficiencies across a range of areas, including shared working across other Primary Care Trust areas in Greater Manchester. In addition to this we are reviewing poorer performing services in order that these services can be improved or decommissioned to enable our resources to be used more effectively.

“Whilst we are working hard with our partner organisations to make sure what we spend provides the best health care for the borough, we also encourage everyone else in the borough to play their part too for taking responsibility of their own health, leading a healthy life and using services appropriately.”