Financial challenges
As with many other CCGs across the country and particularly those within the rest of North Yorkshire, we are experiencing significant financial challenges.
Our Chief Officer, Janet Probert said:
“For the first time since its formation in 2013, the CCG is forecasting a significant deficit (overspending) for the year ending 31 March 2018 of £3.8million, with any deficit having to be paid back in future years.
“This deficit is mainly the result of an increase in patients being referred for planned care together with a general increase in the number of emergency hospital admissions. We have also seen an increase in the amount and cost of prescribing medication, specialist out of area inpatient mental health services and continuing healthcare.
“As the CCG is now spending more each year than the allocation it receives, it is imperative that we continue to work with our local GPs, population and other partners to identify the main priorities for our spending to ensure that we use our finite resource on the health services that make the most difference to our population. This is always a difficult challenge as more services become available along with new drugs and treatments. Our population in particular are also living much healthier lives for longer which is to be celebrated, but often means those patients need more support from the health service.
“As a CCG, we need to use the money we are allocated as fairly and carefully as possible across our whole population. We have a statutory duty to certain services are provided and these are urgent and emergency care, community services, planned hospital care, out of hours and in hours primary care, maternity and children’s services, mental health services and learning disability services.
“It will mean that we have to make some difficult decisions on some services; however we remain committed to the redevelopment of #WhitbyHospital and the sustainability of the #FriarageHospital in Northallerton amongst other important programmes.”