Health trust's budget pledge as winter bites

NHS BOSSES CONFIDENT THEY CAN BALANCE THE BOOKS AMID FLU SURGE PRESSURES

- GURDIP THANDI Local Democracy Reporter

NHS bosses are confident they will be able to balance the books despite challenges they face to slash their current deficits.

For September (Month 6 of the financial year), NHS Birmingham and Solihull was recorded as being £37.3 million in deficit, which is more than £21 million where they were forecast to be at that point.

But members of the joint NHS Birmingham and Solihull and NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board were given assurances that, while work needed to be done to reduce deficits in the second half of the year, both systems will deliver their plans for the year.

At a meeting members were also warned budgets will come under pressure as win ter progresses and more flu cases emerge as well as impending industrial action.