Hospital finances and productivity: in a critical condition?

In recent years the English National Health Service (NHS) has undergone major structural changes and has faced an unprecedented financial challenge. NHS providers have been at the sharp end of these changes, seeking to balance funding pressures with the need to sustain – if not improve – quality of care and meet rising demand. ‘NHS providers’ is the term used to describe the NHS health trusts (NHS trusts and foundation trusts (FTs)) across England responsible for delivering and managing NHS hospital care, community care and ambulance and mental health services.

In this report we examine the financial performance of NHS providers, focusing on hospitals. We identify areas of cost pressure using their financial accounts up to 2013/14 and quarterly reporting data up to December 2014 (Q3 2014/15). We also examine trends in efficiency and productivity from 2009/10 to 2013/14.

See the report at The Health Foundation.