Health board facing £38m funding gap

Finance chiefs have drawn up a rigorous programme of cuts within NHS Forth Valley to address a £38m funding gap for 2025/26 as the board aim to break even next year.

- STEWART MCCONNELLL

The moves were confirmed on Tuesday by NHS Director of Finance Scott Urquhart.

He said: “In the 2025/26 financial position based on current financial planning assumptions - together with the impact of recurring pressures and unachieved recurring savings carried forward from 2024/25 - a funding gap before savings of £38million (4.9 per cent of our recurring baseline budget) has been identified for 2025/26.

“A range of cost improvement plans and efficiency initiatives have been developed to mitigate the £38m gap with an aim to achieve break-even.