NHS providers have reported a combined deficit of £2.3bn for the nine months to December – £622m worse than planned.
The sector’s current trajectory would result in a full-year deficit of £2.8bn for 2015-16, according to performance figures published by Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority on Friday.
High use of agency staff was cited as a reason for overspending However, the regulators’ finance chiefs say they are still targeting a year-end deficit of £1.8bn, to prevent the Department of Health breaching its revenue spending limit.
The NHS has been told that any overspend this year would need to be repaid from its 2016-17 allocation.
Full story in The HSJ 19 February 2016